Betrayal
by Kanafire
Summary: Inuyasha is caught being intimate with Kikyo. Can Koga help mend her broken heart?
1. Chapter 1

The moon was full and the stars shone brightly, blanketing the small campsite with enough light to see even without the crackling fire. Everybody was sound asleep except one. She leaned against the trunk of a tree with her knees drawn to her chest. It was the second night she found herself like this. Once again the man she thought she loved had ran off to be with another.

A single tear rolled down her face. How had it come to this? She knew she could never compete with the strength of a person's first love, but it didn't seem fair. The great miko passed away fifty years ago in a tragic confrontation with a hanyou called Naraku. Had the youkai, Urasue been stopped before she could use her magic, everything would have turned out much differently. Kikyo would have remained in her grave, nothing more than a memory. Instead, Kikyo had been resurrected in a manor of speaking, roaming the earth in a body composed of graveyard soil and pottery.

It was that moment in time, when the miko was revived, that she realized she would never have all of Inuyasha's love. There would always be that part of him that loved Kikyo, despite how much it hurt her feelings. If Kikyo was hurt or was in need of help, Inuyasha wouldn't hesitate to run to her aid, no matter the situation at hand.

The girl wiped the tear away with the sleeve of her uniform and stood up. She couldn't take this anymore, she had to know exactly what Inuyasha and that clay pot were doing this late in the night. She closed her eyes momentarily and scanned the area for their auras. Locating their position, she slung her bow and arrows over her shoulder and went in that direction.

She was thankful for the brightness of the moon as it lit the ground, guiding her to her destination. She pushed away stray branches and stepped over large roots as she trekked through the thick vegetation of the forest. The soft cry of a soul collector caught her eye as she neared her destination. She expected it to dip into the trees and release a soul into the body of Kikyo, but it didn't. It hovered over the area with nothing in its possession. She shrugged it off as she knelt beside a bush large enough to conceal her body.

Nothing in the world could have prepared her for what she saw. She spotted a pile of red and white discarded clothing and a familiar sword that lay over top of them. A series of moans brought her attention to the left where Inuyasha and Kikyo's bodies entwined together in the passion of lovemaking.

Shock and anger flooded her senses at the same time, unsure of what to feel first. Deep in the back of her mind she always knew this was a possibility, but she couldn't bring herself to believe he would do such a thing. Tears flooded her eyes as she turned and ran back the way she came.

Her trek back wasn't as graceful as before and she found herself tripping over the smallest obstacles. She ignored the cuts and bruises that blossomed across her skin as she tried to run from the pain.

After what seemed like hours of running, she realized she didn't recognize any of her surroundings. She tried to flare out her miko powers to search for her group of friends, but with her flustered emotions, she couldn't get them to function properly. She collapsed to her knees and cried.

Back in the small clearing, Kikyo couldn't restrain the smirk that appeared on her face as she sensed the presence of her pathetic reincarnation. She turned her attention back to the man above her and pushed away the thoughts of the girl. She would get the shock of her life when she realized just how little Inuyasha really cares about her. After tonight, he would be hers and nobody else's.

Sure enough the girl stumbled upon them, doing her best to remain hidden. Kikyo spied her out of the corner of her eye and restrained the urge to give her a wink. No, she would restrain herself tonight. It was good enough that the brat finally came to realize she was nothing more than a jewel detector to the young hanyou. Now that they have mated, she would lose her place in their pack. She would take the ignorant child's place since she was just as capable of detecting the shards of the jewel.

Back in the forest where the young miko fell, a cougar youkai lingered in the trees over head. The scent coming off the girl was enough to have him licking his lips. She smelt absolutely delectable. A wonderful mix of fear and desperation, a juicy cocktail of fragrances. His tail twitched behind him as he lowered himself, readying himself for the pounce.

Kagome felt the presence of a youkai only feet above her, the murderous intent behind it was enough to shock her out of her state of distress. She jumped to her feet and readied her bow. It was hard to aim her bow since she couldn't make out the body of her predator, only the general direction of his youki. She felt him move and let her arrow fly. The light of her miko powers pulsating through the arrow gave off enough light to illuminate the surrounding area if only for a second. The arrow flew harmlessly by the youkai, who was now hissing.

She did the only thing that came to her mind. She ran. Thoughts of Inuyasha flashed in her mind. He would save her, he always did even though it tended to be at the last possible second. He would save her; she repeated the thoughts over in her mind until she tricked herself into believing them. He wouldn't come because he didn't know she was out on her own. As far as he was concerned, she was curled in her sleeping bag, oblivious to the world around her.

Her foot snagged in an uplifted root, sending her sprawling on the ground, her bow flying from her grasp. She pulled her legs underneath her and attempted to get back up, but her ankle protested. _Of all the luck…_She struggled to her feet as the youkai stopped in front of her, running his hooked claws down the bark of the nearest tree. She cringed as she imagined what those claws could do to her flesh.

The youkai licked his lips once more. "I hope you've made your piece, Onna." He lunged.

Kagome let out a blood curdling scream that caught the attention of every youkai and hanyou in the area. She slammed her eyes closed and clasped her hands in front of her chest hoping Inuyasha would save her one last time.

When the pain never came she dared to take a peek. In a blur of movement faster than her poor ningen eyes could keep up, she saw two youkai battling it out with tooth and claw. Realizing her rescuer was not swinging a giant sword or dressed in red, she raised a curious eyebrow.

It wasn't until the body of the cougar youkai landed in front of her was she finally able to make out her rescuer. In her desperation she hadn't sensed the two jewel shards which resided in his legs. She dropped her hands to her side and let out a small sigh of relief. She had been saved. _Inuyasha…_He hadn't come to save her like always. That thought broke across her mind like waves on the shore.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" The blue eyed ookami asked as he stared down into her soft brown ones.

"Koga-kun…" She felt another tear slip from her eyes as she took a step closer to him. Without a second thought, she threw her arms around him and buried her face into the cold metal of his armor.

His arms wrapped protectively over the girl in his arms, curious as to her odd behavior. The light which usually shone in her eyes was gone, replaced by detachment and hurt. He could smell fear and confusion coming from her in waves. What had happened to put her into this state, and why was she out here alone. He wasn't complaining, he was enjoying the fact that Mutt Face wasn't around to interrupt them.

"Kagome, what are you doing out here? Where are your friends?" he asked as he held her closer.

She sniffled and took a step away from him, avoiding eye contact. She turned to look in the direction she had found Inuyasha and Kikyo and pointed. She couldn't bring herself to speak of the atrocity she had encountered, it would only bring more tears. She felt herself being scooped up into his arms.

"Koga-kun…please no…" she cried, only it was too late for words. The ookami prince was off like a rocket.

He could smell the idiot mutt all over the place along with the familiar scent of graveyard soil. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he drew closer to his destination. The closer he came, the more he was beginning to understand Kagome's fragile state of mind. The smell of sex was everywhere.

Koga's signature whirlwind ripped into the clearing only minutes after the hanyou and miko had finished dressing. Instinctively, Inuyasha reached for his sword, ready to rip that scrawny wolf to pieces. Kikyo, however placed her hand over his sword hand, signaling him to stop. It wasn't apparent as to why until the whirlwind came to a stop and Kagome's scent hit him. He knew he was in trouble. There was no way Koga would dismiss the obvious scent in the air. He was after _his_ Kagome after all, anything that would draw her away was fuel to the fire. He was so entranced by the look on Kagome's face, he missed the devious smirk on Kikyo's.

Inuyasha took a hesitant step towards Kagome. "Kagome…why are you here? Why aren't you with the others?"

Kagome flinched at the sound of his voice. Her eyes focusing on the ground at her feet instead of meeting his golden gaze. Her mouth opened to respond, but no words came. How did she confront something like this? Her eyes wandered from the dirt at her feet to the red of Inuyasha's outfit where the beads of subjugation hung from his neck. She still couldn't find the strength to look him in the eye. If she did she would find herself lost in the liquid gold of his eyes, unable to think, unable to turn him away.

"Kagome?" His voice called again, this time concern coated his voice. He stepped forward once more, putting himself within arms reach of her. His hand reached out to her, to force her to look at him. He couldn't take the silence it was killing him.

"Keep your filthy paws away from Kagome!" Koga snapped as he swatted the hanyou's hand.

Inuyasha couldn't restrain the growl that came from his throat. _How dare this filthy ookami keep me from_ my _Kagome! Didn't he understand she wanted nothing to do with him! _He found his hand once again residing on the hilt of his father's fang. His gold eyes met icy blue as they stared off, daring each other to make the first move.

Kagome took a step away from the two males as the testosterone levels reached an amazing new height. Koga had always been running around claiming her as his woman, but this was different. His youki was thrashing around him wildly, his instinct starting to take forefront. The sound of a sword clearing its scabbard snapped her attention to Inuyasha. They were going to fight and it would be her fault.

"Stop this…" The words just rolled off her tongue, no louder than a whisper, but loud enough for both men to hear.

They stopped in their tracks and looked back at the young miko. Her fists were clenched tight at her sides, her knuckles were white and the rush of emotions rolling around behind her brown orbs were enough to confuse them both.

Inuyasha grumbled as he lowered his sword. Anger quickly overcoming his confusion. He didn't cope well with emotions, so when in doubt change it to anger, it was something he was comfortable with. "Why should I? He's just here to try and take you away again! He just needs to get it beat into his head that you belong with me!"

Time seemed to stop as Kagome's eyes rose from the red of his outfit to his amber eyes. Behind all the turmoil there was a spark of something else, something that made Inuyasha take a step back. Koga also took note of her state but stayed rooted to his spot. It wasn't him, she was looking at. She only had eyes for Inuyasha. Something he said had set her off and now he was going to pay.

Her eyes narrowed. "I belong to nobody, Inuyasha! How dare you say that to me after you and her…" She pointed an angry finger at Kikyo who had yet to move an inch. "I saw you Inuyasha!" She never rose her voice, letting the sharp, low tones in her voice carry her frustrations. She would not stand and scream like a foolish child.

"I…um…you saw…what exactly?" The inu hanyou stuttered over his words hoping to Kami that she hadn't seen _that._

Kagome took several determined steps towards Inuyasha, never breaking eye contact. "I. Saw. Everything." She enunciated every word, making it painstakingly clear that she had indeed seen _that._ A flash of a smile from Kikyo caught her eye and she turned to face the dead miko. "There, are you happy? He's all yours." She couldn't stop the pain that came with the words. Inuyasha was no longer hers. Deep down she always knew it would come to this. He would have to make a decision, Kikyo or her. Somehow she had convinced herself it would be her. Obviously she had been wrong.

"Very." Was the older miko's reply as she stalked closer to Inuyasha, snaking her arm around his.

Kagome felt her stomach churn at the sight of her touching him. She couldn't take this anymore. She turn and ran despite the protests from her injured ankle. Everything seemed so surreal. Could this all be some terrible nightmare conjured up by the insecurities of her heart? No…the pain in her heart and soul told her it was no illusion but harsh reality.

It wasn't until she stumbled across the small campsite her friends were asleep in, that she allowed herself to fall to the ground and cry. It was surprising that nobody so much as stirred as her sobs echoed off the trees. She stayed like that until her tears ran dry and her body ached. She couldn't stay here where Inuyasha was sure to find her. She couldn't bring herself to see him so soon. He had shattered her entire world. She had given her entire being into loving Inuyasha. She laughed along side him, cried, fought and even loved. How could everything just disappear in the blink of an eye? How could she survive after her heart was ruthlessly ripped from her chest?

She gathered her yellow bag and slung it over her shoulders. She needed time to think things through without the company of her close friends. They would do nothing more than make things complicated since they were also friends with _him_. She didn't make it far before sensation of incoming jewel shards snapped her mind out its trance.

Koga stood in front of her, his serene, loving blue eyes stared down at her helpless form. She seemed lost and confused, not the happy strong-willed woman he fell in love with. How could that mutt do something like this? Didn't he realize Kagome truly loved him with every fiber of her being? Even he could see that.

"Where are you going?" he asked, careful not to touch her. He didn't know what kind of reaction she would have.

"I don't know…somewhere far away." She replied, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Why don't you come with me?" He offered.

His words shocked Kagome even though they shouldn't have. _Hasn't he always been near, protecting me, claiming that he loved me?_ She churned his offer over in the back of her mind. It was definitely not something she expected, but at least she would be away from _him_ for the time being. Originally she had thought about going home, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. She had a duty to uphold. It was because of her that the jewel was shattered, and it was her responsibility to make it whole again.

"Ok." Was her only reply. Koga couldn't help the smile that graced his face.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Few, this story is hard to write since I'm not used to writing in third person! Anyways I really hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget, reviews are very very helpful and they make for great inspiration

* * *

The crackling of the fire was the only sound to grace the campsite after the events of last night were told to the others. Shippo has his back to the hanyou with his arms crossed tightly across his chest and tears welling in his green eyes. Sango fumed in silence lest she lash out at Inuyasha and start a unneeded fight. She stroked the soft fur of her two-tailed companion to help reign in her anger. Miroku could only sit there and shake his head at his red clad friend for the mistake he had made. He knew this day was fast approaching, yet he didn't imagine it would go quiet like this.

Inuyasha perched on a low lying tree branch, his eyes gazing over the cold beauty of the miko below. With Kagome gone for Kami knows how long, they needed the eyes and talent of Kikyo. Besides, he wouldn't turn her away for the world. The miko stayed silent through the morning hours, not wanting to cause a ruckus after Inuyasha delivered the news of Kagome's departure. She may have harbored anger and jealously towards her reincarnation, but she held no ill will towards Inuyasha's companions.

"Keh. Quit mopping around and let's go. Do you want Naraku to find the remaining jewel shards?" Inuyasha snapped, breaking the silence. He understood why they remained quiet, but he couldn't just sit here and do nothing while Naraku was out collecting shards. He turned in the direction of Kagome's fading scent, wondering if or when she would return. _She would return…right?_ He knew he had upset her deeply, but she never stayed away for long. She would find her way back, he was sure of it. Besides he really didn't do anything wrong. Kagome knew of his feelings towards Kikyo, it wasn't like he was hiding anything from her. He always assumed she was aware of their "activities".

"I'm not going anywhere!" Shippo sniffled as his green eyes glared holes up at Inuyasha's golden ones.

Inuyasha's fist collided with the top of Shippo's head. "Quit whining and let's go." He turned his back and began walking, hoping the others would follow. Kikyo stepped beside him, taking his hand in hers. She gave him a smile before turning her attention to the path ahead. Sango and Miroku exchanged glances with one another. Neither was comfortable with Kikyo's presence. Kagome had only been gone a few hours and already and the tension within the group had skyrocketed. It wouldn't have been as bad if Kikyo hadn't decided to tag along.

Shippo wiped away his tears. "Stupid Inuyasha!" He pulled himself to his feet and started walking in the opposite direction. "I'm going to find Kagome!"

"Keh." Was Inuyasha's only reply as he continued along the path.

"Miroku…should we really let Shippo go on his own?" The slayer asked as she watched the kit walk away. She felt bad for him. Kagome acted as his surrogate mother for the past year after he lost his father to a pair of youkai brothers.

The monk leaned against his staff and followed her gaze. He understood Sango's plight, but if Shippo wanted to leave it was within his rights to do so. Instead of telling her this, he offered her up a suggestion. "Kagome went with Koga, right? So, how about you see if Kirara is willing to take him to the den?"

Sango glanced at the twin-tail sitting on her shoulder. "Will you do that , Kirara?" The neko mewed her response and jumped from her shoulders, taking on her much larger size. The slayer rubbed her behind the ears. "Shippo wait!" The kitsune stopped and glanced back at Sango. "Take Kirara with you."

His green eyes lit up and the tears vanished. "Thank you! Let's go, Kirara!" He scrambled up her side and sat on her back. He gave Sango and Miroku a wave goodbye before Kirara took flight.

* * *

The sound of rushing water echoed off the walls of the cave system the ookami youkai called home. Several the the ookami gathered near the waterfall entrance following the scent of a familiar ningen. They tried listening in, but the roar of the cascading water was enough to block out everything but the loudest scream.

Inside the semi-dark cave Kagome sat on the pile of fur and straw with her knees drawn to her chest. Her arms wrapped around her bare legs while her cheek rested against her knees. She couldn't bring herself to meet the constant stares of her cerulean eyed companion. The events of the past several hours were on constant replay. The sight of their bodies entwined, covered in a thin layer of sweat that glistened with the moonlight burned into the back of her closed eyelids.

The young prince leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, staring down at the small shaking form of the miko before him. He didn't need a keen sense of smell to know that her heart was broken. The waves of sadness and confusion were rolling off her in waves strong enough they were almost visible to the naked eye. He wanted to offer some form of comfort, but he was unsure about how to go about it. Normally he would scoop her up and lavish her with kind words and a random gift. This was different, he had never seen her look so frail and defeated. He wanted his strong-willed loveable Kagome back. He couldn't stand the sight of her broken form, shaking and sobbing on the floor of his den.

Kagome lifted her face from her knees and stared at the water flowing over the entrance of the cave. "K-Koga…" If not for his sensitive ears, he wouldn't have heard her. He pushed off the wall and crouched beside her to hear her better. "Why do you care about me?"

Her question caught him off guard. He moved from his crouching position so he was sitting instead. He tried to catch her eyes with his own, but she evaded him. "What do you mean Kagome?"

She unraveled herself from around her legs and leaned back on her hands. She continued to stare at the waterfall. Her tears had dried, leaving her eyes red and puffy, but no less beautiful than normal. "Why do you care about me?" She repeated her question in the barest of whispers.

Without hesitation he began listing off all the reasons he cared. "You're loyal, brave, kind-hearted, beautiful, and strong."

She lowered her eyes to the soft fur underneath her, her fingers playing with it absently. "Don't forget about being a jewel shard detector…" Her voice trailed off.

Something clicked inside Koga's mind. So this is what this is about. _She still thinks I only like her because of her ability to seek out the shards._ It was true, when he first came across her, that was the only thing on his mind at the time. Over time things began to change for him. He couldn't wait to see her again, to see that bright, warm smile of hers, to hold her small delicate hands in his. Somewhere along the way he found himself truly in love with her. Sure, he made a bold declaration the day after they met, but now he could say it truthfully. _Couldn't she see that? Had her love for Mutt-Face really blinded her to the love of others?_ He growled inwardly at the mere thought of the hanyou. He left his precious Kagome in his care because somewhere in his mind he knew the mutt would keep her safe and happy. Had he known about this apparent love triangle with the woman who smelled suspiciously like the Band of Seven, he never would have left her with him.

"Kagome…look at me." He finally spoke, his voice just as soft as hers. He didn't continue until her brown eyes looked up at him. "Your miko powers have nothing to do with why I care for you." He was careful to avoid the word love. He didn't want to scare her away. She had come with him willingly, and he wasn't going to screw it up.

Her eyes widened in mild shock as her hand found its way to her mouth in a habit of nerves. "But you said…"

He smiled at her. "I may have said that upon our second encounter, Kagome, but I no longer feel that way. You are everything I have been looking for in a companion without the aid of your ability to see the Shikon Jewel." Once again he had to choose his words carefully.

"Koga…" her lip trembled and tears once again burned in her eyes. She wanted to believe words coming from Koga's mouth, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Hadn't Inuyasha said something similar? Hadn't he wanted her to stay by his side? Everything he had said and done to this point had been nothing but lies. He obviously only had eyes for Kikyo. Kikyo. She couldn't seem to pull herself out of the dead miko's shadow long enough to draw a single breath.

Koga stood up. "You should probably get some sleep. You've had a long night." He walked towards the cave entrance. "If you need me just holler and I'll come running." He glanced back at her long enough to giver her a wink and a carefree smile.

She could only acknowledge him with the barest of nods. Once he was gone from the cave, she laid upon the fur drawing her knees to her chest. Her eyelids were heavy, but sleep evaded her for most of the early morning hours. Finally, exhaustion overcame her body and she found herself enveloped in the wonderful bliss of darkness.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky by the time the mountain of the ookami came into view. Subconsciously, the young kitsune searched the skies for the Birds of Paradise that littered the skies during his previous visit to the region. His tiny hands clung to Kirara as they wound their way around the peaks of the mountains in search for the waterfall that served as the landmark of the ookami territory.

Kirara landed softly on the cliff near the waterfall. Shippo took notice of a large gathering of wolves near the waterfall. It seemed to him they were trying to catch a peek at something, but he was too far to tell.

A few of the ookami near the back of the crowd turned to face the young kit and his friend as they drew closer. Instantly, their hands went to the swords at their waste expecting them to be hostile. They hadn't had much luck with other youkai, most of them were after their pack leader, Koga. The jewel shards in his legs were a blessing and a curse at the same time.

"Who are you and what do you want?" One of them demanded, pointing the tip of his sword at Shippo.

_Stay calm Shippo…_The kit told himself as he puffed out his chest and took a bold step towards the pack. "I want to see Koga!"

The wolves laughed at the poor kit, thinking he had lost his mind and had a death wish. It wasn't until two wolves pushed their way to the front. Shippo's eyes widened at the sight of two very familiar ookami. He couldn't help but fell a wave of relief wash over him.

"Ginta! Hakkaku!" Shippo cried as he jumped up and down waving his little arms in the air. Kirara also whined behind him, acknowledging the two wolves.

"Eh? It's the little fox tyke. What is he doing here?" Hakkaku asked as he scanned the area for the group that traveled alongside the kit. Koga would be ecstatic if Kagome had come to visit.

"Where's Koga?" Shippo asked again, this time with no fear in his voice.

"Right here, who's asking?" The wolf prince spoke up as he pushed his way to the front of the pack to stand next to his friends.

Shippo balled his hands into tiny fists. "I wanna see Kagome!"

Several of the wolves turned and exchanged glances, finally able to figure out who was in the cave with Koga. Ginta and Hakkaku gaped open mouthed at their friend and prince. Kagome was here and they didn't know about it!

"Sorry kiddo, but she's asleep." He apologized to the kit.

Shippo held back the urge to sniffle and tear up. "Please Koga…I won't wake her up. I just want to see with my own eyes that she is ok."

Koga couldn't help but smile at the kit in front of him. He was a dedicated and loyal friend to Kagome, though he was getting the feeling their relationship was a bit more complicated than that. Koga knelt down to bring himself eye level with Shippo. He didn't smell of deceit, he truly just wanted to see Kagome. He reached out and went to place his hand on the kits head only to have his flinch away at the touch.

"Eh? I'm not going to hurt you kid." He palmed Shippo's head, ruffling his hair some.

Shippo opened a nervous eye when Koga didn't clobber him over the head. "Huh?"

Koga removed his hand from his head and gave the kit a curious look. "Why did you flinch?"

"Inuyasha is always hitting me…I just thought…" His voice trailed off, embarrassed by his reaction.

Koga growled low in his chest. "The more I hear and see the more I really want to rip that stupid mutt to pieces…" He stood up and began walking towards the hidden entrance behind the waterfall. "Common kid." He called to Shippo who was still rooted to his spot. He didn't move until Kirara nudged him forward with her nose.


	3. Chapter 3

Several days have passed and Kagome was still feeling the effects of seeing her love with somebody else. She put on a fake smile and tried her best to pretend everything was right with the world. She meandered around the cave systems talking with people and helping if needed to keep her mind off things. It was hard though, when one of them brought up _his_ name. She would find herself running away, needing to seek solitude. She would not let the others see her cry.

Once again she found herself sitting beside the small pool of water at the base of the waterfall with her knees drawn up to her chest. She had been walking by a small group of the wolves only to overhear one of them chastise Koga for bringing a ningen here. He hated the idea that Koga laid claims on her. It was times like this she wished she never came to this era. She didn't belong here, and was always messing things up.

This was how Shippo found Kagome. Alone by the water as usual. He always knew where to find her when she was feeling down since he had plenty of experience with Inuyasha's insensitivity. She was curled up with a mountain of tears ready to burst from her eyes. He shook his head and let out a sigh. This was worse than normal. He knew something bad happened between her, Inuyasha, and Kikyo, but he didn't quiet understand exactly what happened. Miroku told him he'd understand when he was older, which meant it was more complicated adult stuff.

He called out to Kagome, to notify her of his presence before jumping into her lap. "Don't cry Kagome…"

She sniffled and tried to smile down at him, only to feel the dam break. She wrapped her arms around Shippo and hugged him close. "I'm sorry Shippo…" She sobbed.

Despite the death grip on his body, he did his best to comfort her. "It's ok Kagome…It's all stupid Inuyasha's fault!"

Kagome flinched at the sound of his name. Shippo gasped. He clamped his hand over his mouth and sent her an apologetic look. He had forgotten that his name had become taboo around Kagome. It was as if the very sound of his name broke her resolve.

"Sorry…" he apologized quietly.

Kagome shook her head. "It's ok Shippo…" She looked up at the cloudless sky. It wasn't anybodies fault but hers. _If only I were stronger…Maybe I need a few days alone to think things over._ She tightened her grip on the young fox as she stood up. "Let's find Koga."

"Why?" He studied her appearance. He knew that look. It was the look she got before she braced herself to confront Inuyasha about something he wasn't going to like. "Kagome…what are you thinking?"

She looked down at him. The look in her eye different than before. He noticed a sliver of determination, something she had been lacking these past few days. As much as he enjoyed seeing a glimmer of the old Kagome, it also worried him.

"I need to go home." She stated.

His eyes widened. "Do you plan on coming back?" Shippo quickly found himself tearing up at the thought of Kagome leaving through the well, never to come back. And it wasn't like he could hound Inuyasha to bring her back this time.

The first real smile in several days graced her lips. "Of course I'm coming back. I just need time alone to think."

* * *

Koga sat in the back of the cave resting on the pile of fur with three of his wolves curled up around him. He brought the leg of boar to his mouth and tore off a piece of the raw meat. His mind churned with thoughts of Kagome and ways to help her come out of her shell. Nothing came to mind other than to let it run its course. It did give him some comfort knowing she was nearby and not wandering around the countryside alone. If she had turned his offer down, he was sure that is what she would have done. The woman truly had no sense of self preservation. It wasn't entirely her fault though. After months of always being rescued by Mutt-Face, she had grown soft. Instead of fighting back, she backed herself into a corner and waited for somebody to save her.

He took one last bite of the meat before tossing it to his wolves. He could smell Kagome approaching, and the last thing he wanted was for her to come across him eating raw meat. She wasn't accustomed to such things since Inuyasha ate human food. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before rising to greet her.

She stepped through the waterfall with the young kitsune in her arms. He could tell she had been crying again, but he didn't bring it up. There was something different about the way she was carrying herself. Her shoulders were brought back and her head was held high. He couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face. She looked more like the Kagome he had fallen in love with. The only thing that remained soiled by Inuyasha's treachery were her eyes. They still held a haunted look, but there was progress. It was barely visible, but he could see a hint of resolve.

"Koga-kun…" She spoke up, her voice soft and doubtful. "I need to go home for a few days."

Koga barely restrained the look of shock. He felt his chest rumble in protest at the thought of her going back to the worthless hanyou_._ Hadn't he done enough to her? Was she a glutton for punishment and heart break? She had to know this was a bad idea.

Kagome's eyes widened when she realized what Koga was thinking. He didn't know about the well that connected to her era. He didn't know that she was always going back and forth through time. He thought she meant she wanted to go to _him._ She shook her head violently. "No! Not that!" She stepped closer to Koga, placing her hand on his chest. "I want to go home to my village…my era…" She didn't know exactly how to explain her ability to time travel.

Shippo noticed the look of confusion on Koga's face and jumped over to his shoulder. Placing his mouth against Koga's ear, he quickly began to explain everything. The only reason for his whispering was he didn't want Kagome to overhear Inuyasha's name. She had finally stopped crying and he didn't want to be the cause for another meltdown.

Once Shippo finished the explanation, Koga could only stare at his little miko. It did explain the strange clothing and her behavior. Women of this era tended to be subservient to men, unlike his spunky, out spoken Kagome. Whoever would have thought the Bone-Eaters well would be capable of producing such magic. The only thing he didn't like was the fact that Inuyasha was also capable of traveling through the well.

He fought the urge to growl under his breath. He didn't want to let her out of his sight as long as there was a possibility of her coming across Inuyasha. The fact that Inuyasha was capable of traveling to her time period irked him more than anything. If he went after Kagome, he would be unable to protect her if the need arrived. He curled his hands into fists and bit the inside of his lip. He swallowed his male pride and decided to allow her to go. If he was going to gain her trust, he would have to treat her as an equal. Something Inuyasha failed at.

"Ok. Do you want me to take you?" He offered with a smile.

Kagome couldn't help but let her mouth fall open in surprise. _Did he really just offer to take me home? Is he serious?_ Her eyes were wide and her lip trembled. She didn't know why but she felt like crying all over again. In the year she had been traveling through the Sengoku Jidai, not once had she been able to return home without a fight.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky by the time Inuyasha and his friends arrived in the small village of Edo. They were in much need of supplies and bandages. During their most recent encounter with Naraku's youkai, Sango had been hurt. It wasn't anything life threatening, but they needed a place they could rest and recuperate while she healed.

Inuyasha pushed his way into the elderly miko's hut. Kaede looked up from the pot of stew she had been brewing to eye the young hanyou. She disliked his rudeness, but she had grown used to it over time. What she didn't expect to see when she looked up was her elder, yet younger looking sister.

"Ki-Kikyo!" She stuttered. "What are ye doing here?"

"Keh. Never mind that, Old Woman. Sango's been hurt and needs a place to crash." Inuyasha barked.

On queue, Miroku carried the sleeping Sango indoors. Her left leg was in a splint and her stomach had been bandaged. Seeing the condition of the young slayer, Kaede put her sister on the back burner, and rushed to help the monk. "Lay her down here." She instructed.

"I am deeply sorry for the intrusion, but we had nowhere else to go." Miroku apologized.

"Don't worry about it, Monk." She glanced around her now crowded hut to notice something amiss. Her eyes immediately found Inuyasha and her sister. "Where is Kagome?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Who knows. She took off with that scrawny wolf a few days ago." Despite the bitterness in his voice, Kaede could still see anguish in the hanyou's golden eyes.

"What did ye do now?" Kaede inquired further.

His eyes quickly traveled to Kikyo then back to the floor. "I…uh…Oh forget it! It's not like any of you understand anyway!" He snapped before storming out of the hut to seek the solitude he had been searching for since Kagome left.

He found himself sitting in a familiar tree overlooking the rice fields. He felt the pains of guilt slice through him as he stared at the spot in the grass where Kagome would always sit. Had he really done the right thing by choosing Kikyo? He had always loved her, despite any wrong doings she may have done to him. He deserved everything she gave him. He had allowed himself to be fooled by that disgusting Naraku.

His fist slammed into the trunk of the tree. _I made my decision and yet I feel as if I did something wrong…_he stared in the direction of the Bone-Eaters well. _Kagome…_

_

* * *

_

The wind whipped through Kagome's long black hair as her and Koga practically flew through the trees. Her hands clung tightly to his shoulders and he held onto her legs and she rode on his back. It felt odd riding on Koga's back considering the last time she did this it had been with _him_ during our last battle. It amazed her how different it felt to travel on Koga than it did Inuyasha. The cool metal of his armor helped keep her cool unlike the suffocating fabric of the robes _he_ wore. Koga was taller and built just a tad thicker.

She lessened her grip on his shoulders and leaned against him, resting her head against the crook of his neck. She buried her nose into the fur of his shoulder and let out a contented sigh. _It feels good to run like this. I know it's not the same as it used to be but…it just feels right._ She closed her eyes and allowed herself to doze off, knowing Koga would keep her safe.

Koga's eyes flickered over to glance at the miko on his back. He could feel her tension leaving her body as they traveled. He couldn't help but smile. He could get used to traveling like this. _She fits perfectly._ He commented to himself as he brought his eyes back to the path before them.

It didn't take long for him to arrive in the clearing of the well. He stood in the tree line, scouring the area, looking for signs of Mutt-Face and his friends. It was faint, but he could pick up their scent in the direction of the village that was less than a mile away.

Kagome brought her head up and looked around. "What's the matter Koga-kun?"

He shook his head as he placed her on the ground. "Nothing, let's go."

She let it go and walked towards the well. She could tell he was anxious about something, but she wasn't going to call him on it. It was nice enough of him to bring her here in the first place. She paused at the side of the well, her hands gripping the wood tightly.

"Koga…will you be here when I get back?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" He gave her a toothy grin.

"Ok! I'll be back tomorrow!" She smiled back before jumping over the edge.

Koga couldn't help himself. He charged the well and looked over the edge, sure he was going to find her splattered at the bottom. With a flash of magic, she was gone. _That is awesome!_

Back in the village, the wind changed directions, bringing a foul scent to Inuyasha's nose. The feel of magic floated in the air and he couldn't help but let out a growl. Without a second thought, he pushed himself off the tree branch and ran towards the well.

"Kagome…"

He stopped at the tree line near the well to see the one person he wished he hadn't. The man who stole Kagome from him. His hand twitched over the hilt of his Tessaiga, ready to rip him to pieces. How dare he take his Kagome away from him. If he hadn't shown up, Kagome would still be here, he was sure of it.

Koga's head snapped up from the well. He turned to face the direction of the rampaging youki. The scent on the wind told him it was Inuyasha. He smirked as he cracked his knuckles. _Perfect…Kagome isn't here to stop us this time. I _will _tear him apart!_


	4. Chapter 4

With a rush of magic, Kagome found herself standing in the bottom of the well at her shrine. She readjusted her yellow back pack and slung her bow over her shoulder before climbing up the ladder. Once off the ladder, she rested her bow against the side of the well. She didn't need to bring it with her, it was only because Koga insisted on her bringing it. He wanted to make sure she was able to protect herself incase something were to happen. He just wouldn't take her word that her world was more than safe enough.

She couldn't help but smile. _At least he cares…No, stop it Kagome. Thinking about _him_ will only make things worse._ She slid the door open and made her way into the house where she hoped her mother was waiting.

"Mama?" She called as she entered the house. She heard her mother call for her from the kitchen. She dropped her bag by the door and practically ran for her mothers arms.

"Kagome…What's the matter?" Her mother asked as she enveloped her daughter. This wasn't the first time she came home upset, but this was the first time she ever came home _this_ upset.

Kagome sniffled and cried until her body couldn't produce anymore tears. She pulled away from her mothers arms and looked up at her face. "Mama…Inu…Inu…Inuyasha left me…" She choked.

"Oh dear…" Her mother ushered her over to the couch. "Let me bring you some tea." She scampered off to boil the water. Inuyasha and her have had breakup fights before, but this was different, it actually seemed final. She glanced into the living room to see Kagome rocking back forth on the couch. _Poor dear…_She poured the tea and brought some to her daughter.

"Thanks Mom." Kagome sipped at the tea.

"Tell me everything." Her mother coaxed. It didn't take much prodding for her to spill everything.

It was amazing how much better Kagome felt after telling her mother. She didn't judge or interrupt. She sat there patiently while the story was being told. By the time the story was complete, Kagome had gone through half a box of tissue and was quickly wiping out the other half.

"Why don't you stay home for a few days so you can sort through things." Her mother rose from the couch and headed towards the stairs. "How about I run you a hot bath?"

Kagome gave a nod of her head before blowing into yet another tissue. "Thanks Mom."

"Don't worry about it Kagome. You'll think of something, I know you will."

After a hot bath and a warm meal, Kagome found herself curled on her bed with Buyo curled at her feet. Her thoughts drifted from Inuyasha to Sango to Shippo. Just before she drifted off to sleep Koga's face appeared in her mind. _I hope he waits for me…_

Kagome woke with a start only a few hours after falling asleep with a nagging in the back of her mind. Something was wrong, she could feel it. She crawled out of bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. _What is this feeling?_ She palmed her forehead with her hand as the feeling intensified.

Kagome leaned out her window and scowered the area, looking for any signs of danger, only to find the shrine in its usual peaceful state. Her thoughts instantly turned to Inuyasha. Pain flashed through her chest at the thought of his name, but she couldn't shake the feeling something bad was happening to him. _Calm down, Kagome. Take a deep breath. Nothing is wrong, it's only your imagination. _The persistent nagging didn't go away. This wasn't the first time she felt something like this. Last time it happened it was after Inuyasha was seriously wounded by Sesshomaru. He had been fighting off a demon being controlled by Naraku and his wounds hadn't healed yet. She bit the tip of her thumb, trying to decide whether or not to check things out.

She jumped when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in." She squeaked.

Her mother stepped inside holding a tray of soup. "I thought you could use something hot." She noticed the worried expression on her daughter's face. "What's the matter?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know…I'm getting the feeling something bad is happening…"

Her mother's eyes widened. "Are you going then?"

"I don't know. What if it's only my imagination?"

Her mother smiled. "Kagome, you should trust your instincts. They will never lead you astray. If your heart is telling you to go, you should listen."

Kagome nodded her head. "Yeah, you're right." She rushed past her mother. "Thanks Mom!" She shouted as she bolted down the stairs. She grabbed the bow and arrows left by the well and jumped in.

Kagome was greeted by the sound of battle and the feel of two jewel shards just outside the well. Her eyes widened with the realization of what was happening. With record time, she climbed out of the well. Her mouth gaped open at the sight before her. Koga and Inuyasha fighting with everything they had. Both were bleeding and wounded, but neither showed signs of stopping.

"Just give up would ya? You don't stand a chance!" Inuyasha bellowed as he let loose a Kaze no Kisu.

"You wish, Mutt-Face! You really think I'll hand Kagome to you after what you did to her! God, you're pathetic." Koga shot back as he nimbly dodged the attack.

Kagome gasped. The fact that they were fighting over her shouldn't have surprised her but it did. She was too busy staring at the red clad hanyou. She expected to feel pain and depression upon looking at him, but she didn't. Instead she felt overwhelming anger. _How dare he try to lay claim on me! He's with Kikyo! That stupid two-timing…_

"You don't deserve Kagome!" Inuyasha barked.

"And you do? For a canine you know absolutely nothing about loyalty! Your nothing but a disgrace! You chose the other woman, what right do you have to Kagome?" Koga yelled as he brought his Goraishi down upon the Tessaiga.

Kagome stared in horror as the two tried to kill each other. She wanted to stop them, but their words ran deep. In a sick way she wanted to hear more. She stayed frozen in the well.

"You don't know shit!" Inuyasha pushed Koga back. "You don't know what we have been through, the promises we made to each other! She promised to stay with _me_, not you. So why don't you just crawl in a hole somewhere!"

Koga could only shake his head at the stupidity of the hanyou before him. He truly didn't understand how Kagome saw things. He was dependant on her kindness. He growled at Inuyasha before unleashing a blast of youki from his Goraishi.

Kagome gasped as Inuyasha drew his sword over his head in preparation for his counter attack. Before she knew it she was rushing towards the battle.

"Bakuryuuha!" He yelled as the wind around his sword began to swirl. He would have brought his blade down, but there was a slight shift in the wind, bringing a familiar scent to his nose. He shifted his gaze towards the well to see Kagome rushing towards them, her hand stretched out in front of her in an attempt to stop them.

"Osuwari!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs, pouring every ounce of her power into the command. The beads of subjugation glowed a fierce pink before yanking Inuyasha forcefully into the dirt. Koga's attack flew harmlessly over Inuyasha's head.

The young prince's head snapped in the direction of Kagome's voice, completely baffled by her appearance. What was she doing here? Hadn't she told him she wouldn't be back until tomorrow? He looked back over to the hanyou and growled under his breath. _Damnit…_ The Goraishi disappeared into his skin, no longer needed. He wouldn't fight Inuyasha with her standing there. The chances of her getting hurt were astronomical.

Kagome stopped between the two men, not sure who to go to. She glanced down at the crater in which she created to see Inuyasha out for the count. His robes were in shreds and blood coated a good portion of his body. She couldn't help but feel the urge to rush to his side and care for his wounds. A swish of a tail brought her attention over to Koga, who didn't look like he was in any better shape.

"Koga…why?" She whispered as she looked over his body, counting every cut and bruise on his body. His armor was cracked in several places and the fur on his wrists were only hanging on by a thread. They had to have been fighting hard for a long time for his appearance to look so disheveled. Even the brown strap that held his hair back had been shredded, leaving his long ebony hair free around his shoulders.

He looked away from her, trying to escape her penetrating stare. "He was in the nearby village and picked up our scent." He looked down at his hand before balling it into a fist. "He tried to follow you."

"Oh." She didn't know what else to say. She figured he would blame Inuyasha for everything like usual. She never expected him to be so honest about his intentions. He respected her wishes not to see Inuyasha. She wanted to thank him, but seeing the condition Inuyasha was in, she wasn't sure she could.

Koga's attention was drawn away from Kagome as the scent of graveyard soil caught his attention. Since the Band of Seven were destroyed, it could only be one person. Sure enough, the dead miko stepped through the tree line with a bow held tightly in her hand. Her eyes flickered over to Inuyasha's unconscious form then straight to Koga.

"What have you done, Youkai?" Kikyo demanded as she drew an arrow from her quiver.

"Ki-Kikyo?" Kagome stuttered. She gave a quick look to Koga before diverting her full attention to the miko. "Please…don't do anything rash!"

"Tsh, you protect this youkai after what he did to Inuyasha? How pitiful." Kikyo sneered as she narrowed her eyes at the scantily clad girl.

Kagome shook her head. "No, it's not like that! Koga was only trying to protect me!" She found herself moving to stand between Koga and Kikyo. She didn't want Kikyo to hurt Koga. She knew Koga was strong, but not even he would survive one her purifying arrows. Hopefully with her standing between them, Kikyo would think twice about firing.

Koga stepped closer to Kagome, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Forget it, Kagome. She isn't going to listen." He didn't like the fact that she was taking a protective stance in front of him. It was his job as the male to protect her, not the other way around. The only reason he allowed it was his instincts were telling him to flee, that his life was in danger. With Kagome between them, the threat had lessened slightly.

Kikyo notched the arrow and aimed at the two in front of her. Didn't the young woman realize already, she was the one who would take Inuyasha's life. The woman before her was the only thing standing between her and Inuyasha. Fates seemed to curse them. No matter how much they wanted to be together, something always stood in the way. The most current and most deadly stood within reach of her arrow. If that woman didn't exist, her and Inuyasha would be able to live and die together in peace.

Kikyo focused her spiritual powers into the wooden shaft as she let go of the bow string. There was no way her reincarnation with less than equal power could stop her arrow. This would be the end of her and the ookami.

The older miko watched with a sick fascination as the glow from her arrow enveloped her targets. With the power behind her arrow, there wouldn't even be a pile of ash to take home to their families. With a smirk, she turned towards the unconscious hanyou.

The area was lit up by a flash of blue and a major surge of Kagome's spiritual powers. Kikyo froze in place as her head shifted slowly to see what was happening. The miko couldn't believe her eyes. Standing completely unharmed were Kagome and the wolf. Kagome held her bow defensively in front of her, erecting a small, but effective barrier around them. Her hand tightened around her own bow as she fought with herself over what to do now. Her mind was made up when Inuyasha began to stir.

Without a word to Kagome or Koga, Kikyo struggled to shift Inuyasha into a position that would allow her to move him from the battle field. Normally she would worry about her enemy shooting her in the back, but she knew Kagome was not dishonorable. She would allow them to leave.

The barrier that surrounded Koga and Kagome collapsed, finally giving Koga room to maneuver. Cracking his knuckles, he proceeded to walk towards the retreating figures. The soft voice of Kagome called him back. "Let them go…"

He couldn't help but protest, but he stopped all the same "But she tried to kill us!"

She shook her head, keeping her eyes trained on the grass beneath her shoes. She could feel the burning sensation returning to her eyes as she fought off tears. Things weren't supposed to happen like this. She balled her hands into fists.

"Stop! Just let them go…" She shouted unintentionally.

"Kagome." He walked back towards Kagome, resting his hands upon her small shoulders.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffled as she lost the battle to control her tear ducts. Her shoulders sagged as she once again began shaking.

_Damned that Inuyasha…_Koga growled internally as he pulled Kagome into a tight embrace. Her arms wrapped around his waist as her body shook with the force of her sobs. He watched the figure of the retreating miko and wished he could follow. They would pay for doing this to his Kagome.


	5. Chapter 5

Inuyasha shifted his weight uncomfortably, trying to find a more comfortable position as he leaned against a tree. His body ached in various places, but none more so than his head. Never had Kagome commanded him so desperately. The closest was when she tried to stop him from killing Rin and Jaken while he had been possessed by the sword Sounga. His amber eyes stared at his hand absently, trying to figure out the cause for her distress. Sure, he was about to send that mangy wolf into oblivion, but she should be used to that by now. _Has she developed feelings for him?_ He growled inwardly at the mere thought of Koga's hands touching her.

"What ails you, Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked, breaking the troublesome silence that lingered over them. He hadn't spoken a word since gaining consciousness at was mildly uncomfortable. At first she was worried that maybe he had suffered damage to his vocal cords, but quickly dismissed it after a quick examination.

The image of the hanyou unconscious in the pit her reincarnation lingered in her mind. His fire rat robes were all but shredded from his waist up, his chest mirroring the damage to his clothes. It still amazed her how quickly he recovered from wounds that would have claimed even the strongest ningen. She didn't know what transpired in the clearing by the Bone-Eaters well, but there was something going on between her beloved and the ookami. She let out a frustrated sigh. It seems her reincarnation was going to bother her still despite Inuyasha's decision to choose her over the foolish miko.

"Don't worry about it." He grumbled under his breath. The sad look in his eyes spoke differently. He was hurting inside, tormented by the choice he had made. For the first time since Kikyo had been brought back, he was worried about making the wrong choice. What if he was meant to be with Kagome? _Good job Inuyasha, you loser. _The image of Kagome and Koga in each others arms sent his nails into the palm of his hand angrily. _You only have yourself to blame, you pushed her away one too many times. It was only a matter of time before she had enough._ He knew this was the end for them. Never before had she run off with somebody else. She always jumped through the well only to return a few days later when she was no longer upset. He felt a trail of blood flow down the palm of his hand as his nails pierced the skin. _It's all Koga's fault. If he hadn't shown up when he did, everything would be different! She would have forgiven me…she would still be by my side…_

Koga leaned against a boulder near a river as Kagome dug through her enormous yellow bag. After half of its contents were spilled upon the ground her eyes brightened. She pulled out a small white metal box along with a square piece of fabric. She placed it on the grass beside him as she knelt at his side.

"I need you to remove your armor." Kagome pointed at the sad remains of his armor.

Normally he would have had a smart remark, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Sure it probably would have lightened the mood, but with her strange, fluctuating emotions, he wasn't sure what her response would have been. Instead he complied without speaking several of the fun remarks that bubbled close to the surface. "Sure." He leaned forward as he pulled it over his head and tossed it away from them. He also took the time to remove what was left of his fur wrapping that covered his left wrist.

Kagome couldn't help but stare at the half naked man in front of her with her mouth hung open. She could feel the heat of embarrassment climbing her face and pooling in her cheeks. She was used to Inuyasha running around topless since he got injured so often, but his pants covered a lot more of him than Koga's fur wrapping. Secretly, she wondered if he was wearing anything underneath. With a quick shake of her head she rushed to the river and dampened the wash cloth. There was a job that needed done, and she couldn't do it if she was busy staring at the wonderfully sculpted chest of her ookami companion. She needed to clean the dirt and grime from his wounds before she disinfected and wrapped them, though the disinfectant was probably over kill since Youkai tend to be immune to such things as an infection.

Finally satisfied with the cloth and the lack of blush on her face, she stood up. Giving it one final squeeze, to rid it of any excess water, she turned around. "Ek!" She shrieked as she found her face with inches from Koga's bare chest. Without thought of her surroundings, she took several surprised steps backwards as her face flashed a deep red. All would have been fine, but she stumbled on the loose pebbles of the shore. With a final shriek, she tumbled into the river.

The undertow of the water was stronger than she would have expected this time of year and she quickly found herself being pulled under. She tried to scream for help, but water filled her mouth and she gurgled instead. _Why does this always happen to me?_ She growled to herself as she was pulled down river. She knew she should try to swim to shore, but her rapidly growing anger washed away all of her survival instincts.

Koga stood dumbfounded for several long seconds as Kagome freaked out and fell in the water. He had no idea what would have caused that kind of reaction. Had he done something wrong? _Her face was awfully red…_He was torn from his musings as he heard a gurgled cry for help. In a flash of demonic speed he dove into the river in search of the little miko. He spotted her white and green outfit and swam in her direction. He almost laughed out loud at the comical expression on her face. It was the first time in several days he saw the normal Kagome shine through. Her eyes were narrowed with frustration and her lips were pursed together. If it were possible, there would have been steam rolling from her ears. She was definitely not happy about this situation. He couldn't help but smile as he wrapped his arms around her and kicked for the surface.

After several gasps of air, Kagome punched the ground. "Grrr! Just my stinking luck!" She grabbed the discarded wash rag from the shore and draped it over a low hanging branch to dry. She didn't need it anymore since Koga took a dip in the river to save her. "Sit!" She ordered Koga as she pointed to the boulder he had previously been resting against. She half expected him to crash to the ground in a heap.

Koga shrunk away from the angry glare of the miko as he obediently sat back down. She was most definitely mad. He wasn't sure why, but he had a sneaking suspicion it was because of her flustered reaction to seeing him up close with hardly any clothing on. He didn't see what the big deal was, but she was ningen and they react in the most confusing ways to the simplest of confrontations.

_Ugh, that was sooooooo embarrassing!_ Kagome fumed. _You'd think I'd never seen a guy without a shirt on before!_ She glared down at the offending youkai before kneeling beside him, her first aid kit propped open. She ripped open a package of bandages, tossing the wrappings inside her bag. She grabbed Koga's shoulder and forced him to lean forward as she began wrapping the bandages around his ribs none to gently.

"Ow!" Koga whined as she tightened the hell out of the bandages. He knew she was mad, but what had _he _done to deserve the backlash of this anger?

Kagome's hand faltered, allowing the wrapping to become slack. She glanced up into the blue eyes of her companion taking note of the look of apprehension. She glanced back down to her handiwork to see it digging into his skin. Immediately her face flared red and she began unwrapping him. "Ohmygosh!" She said rapidly without pause. "I'm so sorry!"

Koga couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you so flustered?" Her crazy moods were baffling him. At this rate he was going to gag her and drag her back to the den. The only thing keeping him rooted to his place was the wonderful view Kagome was giving him without even realizing it. The white fabric of her clothing had become partially transparent. The view would have been complete had she not been wearing a strange black thing to cover her breasts. It infuriated him to the point he almost growled.

"It's no-nothing…re-really." She stuttered as she made quick work of his bandages, this time without trying to cut off his air supply. She could feel the blood pooling in her cheeks, letting everybody in the area know that she was embarrassed about something. How did she tell him that he was the cause of her misfortune in the river? If he would have stayed put like a good boy, none of this would have happened! As if to make her day worse, a breeze fluttered through the embankment, chilling her sopping wet clothes. She looked down and her eyes almost bulged out of her head. The redness in her cheeks deepened as she brought her eyes up in slow motion to meet those of her companion. His cerulean eyes were plastered to her chest. She could practically see the drool slipping from the corner of his mouth.

"Hentai!" She shrieked as her open hand connected to the side of his face. She jumped to her feet and proceeded to hide herself behind a nearby bush. She couldn't believe the nerve of that guy. _Here I am trying to bandage his wounds and all he can think about is how my boobs look through my clothing! Not even Inuyasha would stop and stare! _

Rubbing the red hand print on his face he let out a sigh. It was fun while it lasted, at least he had his Kagome back to her normal self. "Let's go, Kagome!" he shouted as he shoved her possessions back into her never-ending bag of goodies.

"No!" She shrieked as her head popped up over the bush she was hiding in. "Not until my clothes are dry!"

He raised a curious eye brow at her. "They'd dry faster if you took them off…" He didn't have to wait long for her reply because a brown shoe hit him square in the face.

"Hentai!"

He sighed. "It's the truth you know…" He was cut off as her other shoe met the side of his face. He turned away from her, hiding a smile. _At least now she is out of projectiles._ He mused as he began searching the area for pieces of wood dry enough to use for a fire. The sun would be setting soon and Kagome would need the warmth of the fire. Besides, it would also help to dry her clothes.

Once the fire was started, he glanced over to the bush she was hiding behind. "You know, it's much warmer over here."

Her head popped back up. "You just want to take a peek!" She ducked out of his eyesight once more.

She knew she was being childish, but how dare he just sit and stare? Her hands ran up her arms in an attempt to keep the chill at bay. On top of being wet and cold, her stomach was growling rather viciously. She grumbled nonsense as her hunger gnawed at her. She wasn't sure how long she had been behind the bush, but her body was starting to cramp.

"Oi! I caught us dinner!" Koga hollered as he held a string of fish up for her to see. Her stomach rumbled at her again, urging her to get over her shyness and get something to eat. Koga chuckled. He knew she was hungry by the sounds of her stomach. She would have to come out sooner or later. He decided to make it easier for her. "What if I promise not to look?"

Her head popped up again, reminding Koga of a mole. "How do I know you won't peek?"

He sat near the fire with his back to the flame. "I'll face this way!"

Kagome let out a sigh. This was almost worse than being spied on my Miroku at the hot springs. _Here he is practically naked, dangling food in front of my nose and staring at my chest all at the same time! Not to mention he looks absolutely…no! Don't even think that Kagome!_ She scolded herself as hentai thoughts floated through her mind. She stood up and stormed toward the fire. She snatched the string of fish and began preparing their meal.

While the fish cooked, she sat closer than normal allowing the warmth of the fire to dry her shirt. She was almost tempted to take it off and hang it over the fire, but she didn't want to risk Koga looking back and catching another peek.

It wasn't until the fish was done that she realized she was no longer upset about what transpired earlier that day. She wasn't mad at Kikyo for trying to kill them and she wasn't mad at Inuyasha for trying to kill Koga. She couldn't help but stare at the back of her raven haired protector. Was this where she was supposed to be? She could just as easily find and protect the jewel shards with him as she could with Inuyasha. Her hand curled against her chest as she took in a deep breath. She expected the pain of losing Inuyasha to overwhelm her at any moment, but it never came.

"Here." Kagome said as she knelt beside Koga, handing him a fish. Her heart had finally begun to heal._ It hadn't come as a complete shock that Inuyasha would pick Kikyo over me. I couldn't compete with his first love and I definitely couldn't compete with the history they shared. After all I'm still alive._

Koga glanced over at her as he took the fish from her hands. He could tell she was deep in thought and was expecting her to burst into tears at any moment. Finally, a small smile graced her face as she looked up at him. Her sepia eyes were glistening with renewed hope. The sad depressed Kagome was gone. He returned her smile, unsure the cause of her sudden change in demeanor, but nevertheless he was happy.

"You know what, Koga?" She looked up at the setting sun as she repositioned herself so she was sitting beside him, their bodies only inches apart. "Everything will be alright."

He bobbed his head in acknowledgement. "Yah, I think you're right." He followed her line of sight so they were both staring up at the orange and red clouds as the sun slipped over the horizon. It had been a long day, but in the end everything was as it should be. Kagome was sitting at his side, no longer mourning the loss of her first love.


	6. Chapter 6

The sky was lit with the brightness of the stars by the time the two ookami arrived at the small clearing in which their prince, the miko and the kitsune child sat. Their legs burned with the excursion of their nonstop running over the course of the daylight hours. How Koga did it was beyond their comprehension, but yet again that was why he was their prince.

"Koga!" They yelled in unison as they came skidding to a halt. Once they stopped, they bent over, resting their hands on their knees trying to catch their breath.

"You guys are slow. We've been waiting for almost an hour." Koga eyes his best friends with a cocky grin plastered on his face. He knew he ran to fast for them, but he wasn't about to slow down so they could keep up. It made for good endurance training on their part.

"It's not our fault we can't keep up!" Ginta whined as he pointed to his prince's legs. "You got the jewel shards helping you!"

Koga laughed. "You couldn't keep up even if I didn't have the help of the jewels."

"Now now boys." Kagome scolded as she walked over to Ginta and Hakakku, handing them each a cup of ramen. "Careful, it's hot." She cautioned before handing a cup to Koga, knowing he would dig in without restraint.

"Ho-Hot!" Koga shrieked as he shoveled a mouthful of the steaming noodles into his mouth without so much as blowing on them.

The young miko could only shake her head as she sat on her sleeping bag. It was nights like this the pain in her chest would flare up. Not long ago she sat around a camp fire much like this one with Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Shippo, and Inuyasha. It was hard to believe that three weeks have passed since she departed from them. Despite sitting around the fire with the small group of wolves, she still missed the lengthy conversations with Sango and the roaming hand of Miroku. She took in a deep breath as she tucked herself into the comfort of her sleeping bag. It was only a matter of time before her new traveling companions met up with her old ones. Deciding the meeting would be something to dread, she rolled so her face was away from the fire. She didn't know what to expect when Koga and Inuyasha met face to face again. _They'll try to kill each other as usual…only this time they truly mean it._ Listening to the crackling of the fire and the jubilant conversations of her friends, she slowly slipped into a deep sleep.

"How is she doing?" Hakakku asked as soon as he was sure the miko was sound asleep.

Shippo was the first to reply since Koga was still stuffing his face. "She's better, though I can tell she still thinks of him."

"Inuyasha?" Ginta inquired.

The kit nodded as he stuffed a dried potato into his mouth, savoring the salty flavor. "Of course. She's practically back to her normal self. The only time she sinks back into sadness is when we are sitting around the fire like this. It reminds her of her other friends. She really misses them…so do I." His green eyes grazed over the sleeping girl beside him. She wasn't the only one who missed the monk or the slayer. They had all grown into Shippo's family and it saddened him to be away from them for so long.

"I guess that make sense. She'll see them again, that is certain since we are all searching for Naraku." Ginta speculated.

The young prince couldn't help but grumble under his breath at the sound of the kumo's name. He would never forgive the man who had his pack butchered. Ignoring the rest of the ongoing conversation, he moved so he was closer in proximity to Kagome. He wasn't content until he was within arm's reach of his miko. He reclined against the trunk of the tree as his hand absently played with her wavy ebony locks an action he had taken a week ago when she had been plagued with a series of nightmares that had her drenched in sweat and crying in her sleep. It was the only thing that soothed her troubled soul. A soft moan escaped her lips as his nails caressed her scalp. He smiled as he continued his attentions, noticing her body squirm to be closer to his person. Koga continued his administrations until sleep claimed him and his hand fell slack

Curious eyes followed the movements from the other side of the fire. Their conversations halted by the soft moans of the girl in the strange bedding. Even young Shippo was at a loss for words. Never in his short life has he seen anybody treat Kagome with such tenderness. Sure, Inuyasha protected her and cared about her well-being but he never openly showed her affection. This was a different story; Koga was sitting besides her stroking her hair like a parent comforting a child. Could Koga's declarations of love been true? Did he really care about her and not her ability to see the jewel shard? If this was the case, Kagome was in much better hands. She was a kind woman who thought of everybody else before herself. She deserved to be lavished with affections and kind words, not the harsh words the hanyou always treated her with.

Kagome's dreams swirled around in such intricacy that it seemed real. The scenery changed once more. She stood in the meadow that surrounded the Bone-Eaters well facing two very serious males as they stared at her expectantly. The man clad in red kept his hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword, sheathed at his hip while the armor and fur clad man stood with his hands balled into fists. Neither would take their eyes off of her despite their overwhelming urge to rip the other to shreds.

"Chose!" The hanyou shouted as his free hand waved at her expectantly.

Kagome shook her head as tears stained her face. "I don't understand!" She whimpered as she brought her hand to cover her mouth.

"Decide!" The ookami growled as his right fist flashed a brilliant yellow before revealing the reflective metal of his clawed weapon, Goraishi.

The miko shook her head more violently than before. She didn't understand how things had come to this. All she ever wanted to do was collect the shards of the Shikon no Tama and return to her normal life of the other side of the well. How had things come to this? Standing before the two men in her life, both meant the world to her, both have protected her from the dangers of this world. How did she choose between them?

Her eyes fell upon Inuyasha. He was the first person she ran across in this era and the person she spent most of her time with. They have been through thick and thin, promising to stay together until the end. He had been her first love, despite the problems that came with it. He was always chasing after Kikyo, the woman he loved before Naraku wretched them apart with violence and death. Whenever she was near, he would forget her existence and run off to be with her. Her heart ripped in two every time he left her, but she couldn't find it in herself to be upset. Kikyo and Inuyasha would always have a connection and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

She changed her attentions to the ookami prince. He was tall dark and handsome, but upon their first encounter he whisked her away from her friends in an attempt to kidnap her. She thought him to be an evil youkai at first, but her mind changed quickly when she learned of their plight. Koga had only taken her so she could help him defeat the Birds of paradise that plagued their lands and murdered their pack. He had boldly declared his love for her, though Kagome knew in her heart he didn't truly mean it. Over time though, she noticed a change in her ookami friend. His temperament softened and he visited her more, always having something sweet to say or a small gift to give. She always expected him to give up in his pursuit of her since she adamantly told him she was with Inuyasha, but he never wavered and always came back. He was loyal that was for sure.

The men before her ordered her to choose once more and her hands dropped to her sides in defeat. There was no way around this; she needed to pick one of them to keep her friends from ripping each other open. That was the ultimatum they gave her. Either she picks one of them, or they kill each other.

"I pick…"

Kagome was jarred from her dream. The ground beneath her trembled as the sound of heavy footsteps drew closer. She shot out of her sleeping bag, grabbing her bow in the process. The miko searched the campsite to see her friends standing at attention, growling deep in their chests. Shippo, realizing Kagome was awake, scrambled up her back to perch on her shoulder.

"Shippo…what's going on?" She asked, fear lacing her words.

"I don't know! We were all asleep when the earth started shaking!" He replied.

Her head snapped up in the direction of the impending footsteps. "Koga! It has a jewel shard!" She shouted as the tingling sensation tickled the back of her mind.

Koga's head turned to face her, a smirk placed on his face. "Thanks!" He spoke before disappearing in cyclone of youki. The wind swirled around the party left behind, showering them in dried leaves and dust.

"Wait! Koga!" Hakakku and Ginta shouted as they took off after him. Kagome couldn't help but shake her head at the familiarity of the situation. She gripped her bow tightly as she slung her quiver of arrows over her shoulder. After taking a deep breath, she chased after her friends.

She did not know how long she ran before the muscles in her legs began to burn and her lungs screamed for air. It wasn't until she stopped to catch her breath that she realized Shippo was no longer perched on her shoulder. She straightened herself as she scanned the area, trying to scan for his youki. Her miko powers flared over the terrain, each invisible tendril searching for her comrades.

Her tendrils of power brushed against the warmth of what could only be a barrier. Her first thoughts were that of Kikyo, but they didn't contain the purity of the stronger miko's powers. This barrier held the heat of hatred and evil. Kagome concentrated of penetrating the barrier. Beyond its hold, she could sense the weakening youki of her friends. Opening her eyes, she turned around to retrieve Shippo. He was closest.

As she ran, she cursed herself for her stupidity and blindness. She had run through a barrier and didn't even realize it. Her blindness could have very well harmed her little fox friend, and she would never forgive herself if anything happened to him.

"Shippo!" She cried. She passed through the barrier with no effort and was now scouring the area for him. If it were not for his bright auburn hair, she would never have found him. He lay unconscious as dark, thick roots coiled around his small body, drawing small whimpers from him.

"Let him go!" Kagome screamed as she kicked away dark roots from the kitsune's body. After several good kicks, the roots shrank away from her assault and released it's pray. Kagome dropped to her knees and scooped the kit into her arms. "Shippo! Wake up! Shippo!" She sobbed.

The boy whimpered as his eyes opened. "Kagome…?"

"Shippo!" She hugged him close to her chest. "What happened to you?"

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before looking around the area. The events that transpired while he was unconscious came rushing back. His emerald green eyes filled with tears as he wrapped his small arms around Kagome's neck. "I was so scared! I thought you guys left me behind…" He sniffled.

"Oh Shippo, we would never leave you behind." She soothed the young kit with a smile.

While he cried, Kagome's eyes scanned the area, still searching the area for the wolves. Goosebumps rose on her arms as a howl of pain and rage filled the night. Turning towards the direction of the eerie sound, she began running. _Koga! _She didn't know how she was able to distinguish the source of the howl, but in her heart, she knew.

It dawned on her as she ran that this wasn't the first time she has encountered these strange roots. Her eyes narrowed and her anger bubbled to the surface. _Naraku…_ She growled his name in the back of her mind, cursing the kumo hanyou's existence. It was his fault in the first place for the chaos of this time. His hateful lust for Kikyo and his greed to control the Shikon no Tama had done nothing more than throw this era into chaos.

Subconsciously her mind scanned the area for the jewel shard she had detected before this nightmare unfolded. It was gone, nowhere to be seen or felt. Kagome cursed under her breath. The jewel shard and the creature that bore it had been nothing more than a lure to bring them within the confines of the nightmarish forest where the roots feasted on the fears of others. Why they didn't affect her, the way it did everybody else was still a mystery to her. Kagome was guessing it had to do with her undeveloped miko powers.

The young miko ran until she she came to a small clearing. Lying in the center of the area was the young ookami prince with roots wrapping around his wrists and ankles as well as his neck and waist. The root around his neck tightened, causing Koga to growl in pain. Kagome set Shippo down before she rushed to Koga's side. She pulled and kicked at the roots attempting to strangle her friend to no avail.

"Koga! Koga!" She screamed, hoping her voice would wake him. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she continued to fail to break the roots hold.

"Kagome try using an arrow!" Shippo suggested.

Her eyes widened. "Why did I think of that?" She pulled an arrow out of her quiver and held over the roots. She focused her spiritual powers into the arrow as she brought it down on Koga's restraints. In a flash of pink, the roots turned to dust.

She watched as Koga took in his first deep breath in several minutes before his eyes began to open. Even through his narrow slits, Kagome could make out the brilliant blue of his eyes. She felt a weight lift from her chest and the tears she had been trying to hold back escaped. "Koga!" She collapsed on his chest, burying her face into her crossed arms.

"Kagome…?" Koga whispered as he looked at the crying woman. He couldn't believe his eyes, but they didn't lie. She was here, crying for him, still in one piece. He restrained himself from shaking his head in disbelief. He could have sworn he saw her cut down by Naraku along with his two best friends, Hakakku and Ginta. Naraku had killed them as he held him by throat, forcing the prince to watch his friends die. Never in his life had he felt so helpless, so powerless to help. Looking at the soft features of the woman who cried for him, he couldn't tell if he had followed her into the next world, or if it had all been nothing more than a terrifying dream.

The softness of Koga's voice brought her attention to his face. His usual bright, cheerful eyes were dull and haunted. Behind all that, she detected disbelief and even a flicker of hope. "Koga…what's wrong?"

Shippo scrambled up Kagome's shoulders to get a better look at the prince. "It's ok Koga. It was only a nightmare brought on by the magic of the roots. Kagome saved me from them too."

Koga's eyes drifted over to the fox, scenting him for deception. "You mean…it wasn't real?" His voice sounded as haunted as his eyes looked.

Kagome couldn't help but feel bad about all of this. She should have known something was wrong the moment she sensed the jewel shard. Koga and Kohaku held the last remaining shards. _Damned that Naraku! He'll pay for this!_ She removed herself from Koga's chest and moved to help him sit up. What she wasn't expecting was the tight embrace Koga enveloped her in the moment he was sitting. She gasped in surprise, but she didn't push him away. _Koga…what did you see?_ She wanted to ask him, but she knew it would be too painful to share. Instead, she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his face allowing her to relax in his arms. She could tell by the tremble in his strong arms that he was scared. "Koga…" She whispered his name as she buried her face into the softness of the fur on his shoulder. She didn't like seeing her strong ookami protector reduced to this.

Koga held her tightly, vowing he would never let her out of his sight. He wouldn't survive seeing her lying in a pool of her own blood. The sight of it burned into his memory. He pressed his nose into the crown of her head and took in her floral scent. He would protect her if it were the last thing he did.

Their embrace was cut short the moment two mirrored cries cut through the forest. Koga's arms tightened around Kagome protectively the moment he recognized the source of the cries. "Hakakku and Ginta!" He growled. He scooped Kagome into his arms as he motioned for the fox to climb aboard. In a flash of youki, they took off through the forest,


	7. Chapter 7

The heaviness off the atmosphere seemed to have lifted the moment Ginta and Hakkaku were released from the roots. Deeper in the forest, Kagome felt the barrier dissipate. _It must have been there to keep anybody from stumbling across our bodies as we writhed in agony._ Kagome decided sourly.

"Do you still sense a jewel shard, Kagome?"

"Huh?" She raised her head to look up at her raven haired protector. She had been busy within her own musings to catch what he had been saying. She could see his eye twitch in irritation, but it bother her, she was used to it.

"Jewel shard?" He repeated with a little more frustration in his voice.

Kagome shook her head no. "Sorry…It sort of disappeared while everybody was debilitated."

Hakkaku and Ginta exchanged questioning glances before turning back to Kagome. Ginta was the first to speak. "How did you escape the vines?"

Kagome pointed her finger at her chest. "Me?" When they all nodded their head she couldn't help but blush and look down at the ground in embarrassment. "Well…I seem to be immune to them. This isn't the first time I've encountered them either. Last time Naraku and Kikyo were behind them, they used to it to trap my friends while they took my jewel shard."

A deep resonating growl reverberated through Koga's chest at the sound of the vermin's name. He scanned the area, all of his senses on high alert. There had to be more to this little trap than these foolish roots. The fact that they had easily slipped into the trap had startled him more than anything. He had to be more careful now. He had Kagome and Shippo to protect, he couldn't just rush off to meet impending danger without first securing their safety. His claws dug into the palm of his hand. _This is all my fault to begin with…If I hadn't ran off at the first sign of a jewel shard none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have put Kagome in so much danger!_

A tentative hand on the bare skin of his arm brought his thoughts to a halt. Kagome's brown eyes stared up at him with concern. "Koga…is something wrong?" She asked quietly as she scanned the area, reacting to his stiff and alert posture.

He forced his body to relax a muscle at a time. It was harder than it should have, but seeing Kagome torn apart in front of him had him on edge despite it only being a nightmare conjured up by dark magic. He forced a smile, though he was sure it never reached his eyes. "Everything is fine, Kagome."

Hakkaku and Ginta once again exchanged knowing glances. Something was wrong with their fearless leader. What had he seen during his state of unconsciousness. Both of the younger ookami had seen the same thing as each other. It wasn't pleasing by any means, but it wasn't something so horrible to cast a haunted look upon their faces. Koga's deepest fear must have truly been terrifying to shake him up like this. Ginta looked down at the kitsune and motioned for him to come over.

Shippo seeing the summons, crawled up the wolf's back and perched on his shoulder. "What?" He asked curiously.

"We are going to look for food, you want to come?" Hakkaku replied, hoping the child would take the bite. He really didn't want to outright say they were giving their leader some alone time with his woman. It seemed like the most logical choice to relieve his stress. Kagome always made him feel better.

The young fox wasn't buying the reason, but after several pleading looks and hand gestures from Ginta, he took the hint. "Sure!" He smiled. He cast a weary glance at Kagome and Koga. _I hope everything is alright…_

Kagome and Koga stood in complete silence after their friends made themselves scarce. Kagome's hand never left his arm as their eyes stayed intertwined. Not knowing the reason for Koga's sudden change in demeanor, she was beginning to think she had done something wrong. She wanted to pull away and demand he tell her what his problem was, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She knew her feelings were unjustified, she knew deep down, she hadn't done anything wrong and he was only recovering from what seemed like a very traumatizing nightmare.

"Koga…"She whispered as she pulled her hand from his skin and placed it close to her heart. "Koga…I know it isn't my business, but what did you see?"

Her voice snapped him out his daze. He shook the fog from his mind along with the horrifying images of her broken body. He took note of her timid posture and they way she covered her heart with her hand as if trying to keep it from breaking. He hated seeing her like this and he knew it was his fault. He withdrew from her so suddenly after the screams of his comrades reached his ears. He still felt like they were in danger and he couldn't bring himself to relax, therefore forgoing his usual attentiveness with Kagome. Not once had he asked her if she had been hurt, or if she was alright. Was this the cause of her demeanor?

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as Koga's arms wrapped around her, pulling her tightly to his chest. He pressed his nose against the top of her head, taking in her scent, making sure she was unharmed. Satisfied with his search he placed the barest of kisses on the crown of her head. "I thought I lost you Kagome…"

Despite his words Kagome couldn't help but be drawn to the rapidly increasing beats of her heart. Blood pooled in her cheeks and her breath hitched. _What is this feeling?_ She asked herself as heart continued to try and flutter from her chest. She stayed motionless in embrace, unsure of how to react. When he hugged her like this before, she was overwhelmed with relief and couldn't help but return the hug. This time, she wasn't sure what brought on his actions. She knew he had feelings for her, but he never actually embraced her quiet like this. She could feel him taking deep breaths through his nose as he buried it into her hair and his own rapidly beating heart.

Kagome felt her body beginning to relax and take comfort in the strength of his arms. Even in the year she traveled with Inuyasha, he never held her like this. On occasion he would show overwhelming concern for her safety, but he never held her like she meant the world to him. He always ended up yelling and berating her, telling her it was her fault all the bad things happened. She always thought it was because he didn't know how to express love, but now she wasn't so sure. Standing here in Koga's arms, Kagome felt for the first time that she truly meant something. That she wasn't just a jewel shard detector, but a human girl with feelings.

"I'm not going anywhere Koga…I promise." She whispered into the cool metal of his armor. She didn't know what made her promise such a thing, but it felt right. She couldn't see herself leaving Koga or his loyal friends for the world. It would take an event of monumental importance to draw her away from her new family. _Family…_ The miko rolled the word around in her mind before deciding she like the word.

Koga's embrace loosened as he brought his hand to cup Kagome's chin. With a gentle pull of his hand, his little miko was starring up into his now heated blue eyes. He searched the depths of her sepia eyes, searching them for any signs of rejection. Finding only unrelenting love and devotion, he brought his lips down against hers in the barest of touches. As much as he wanted to devour her with his mouth, he knew she was still innocent.

The touch of his lips against hers felt like being bathed in the sun. Warmth filled her from her lips down to the tips of her toes. She never would have imagined her first real kiss would feel so good. Sure she had a brief kiss with Inuyasha when they were fighting Kaguya, but it was a kiss of desperation, nothing like the warmth she was feeing now.

A chill ran down her spine as his lips left hers, dragging a quiet moan of protest from her throat. With a slight smirk, the wolf prince brushed his mouth against hers once more, this time take more liberty with her mouth. He swept his tongue against her lower lip, begging for entrance. He growled as her lips parted and his tongue slipped past her lips, exploring and tasting every inch of her mouth.

The laughter of their companions returning caught both of their attention, forcing them apart. Kagome turned away from Koga, her face red with embarrassment. She didn't know what came over her, her body acted of its own accord. She tried blaming her body and raging teenage hormones for her behavior, but she couldn't deny the fact that she enjoyed his kiss.

"Hey, were back!" Ginta announced as he stepped through the trees.

Koga smirked as he cast a sideways glance towards Kagome. Even though he couldn't see her face, he could smell her arousal and her embarrassment. He forced his eyes back towards his friend. "So…where is this food?" He chuckled knowing full well why they left in the first place.

Hakkaku scratched the back of his head. "Well…we couldn't find anything…"

Koga could only shrug. "Oh well. It's late and none of us got much sleep, why don't we try to rest until the sun comes up."

Everybody nodded their heads in agreement. The sun wouldn't be up for a couple of hours, and that would give them time to recover from the nights strange events.

Kagome rode on Koga's back while Shippo hung back with Hakkaku and Ginta as they made their way back to the campsite. It didn't take long for everybody but Koga and Kagome to fall asleep.

Kagome laid curled in her sleeping bag, staring up at the tops of the trees, trying to spot the glow of stars. Her fingers traced her lips absently as she thought about the heated kiss between her and Koga. Never in her life had she expected to share such an intimate moment with anybody other than Inuyasha. Now that she had time to think about it, she waited for the pain to settle in her chest. To her surprise it never came. Not even a trickle of shame made its appearance in her heart. _Have I really gotten over Inuyasha so quickly?_ _It's not surprising considering how things went. He was always thinking about Kikyo. Whenever he would catch her scent, no matter how far away it was he went to her. Deep down I always knew he would pick her, that is why I don't regret kissing Koga. My heart has moved on._

Koga took his place beside Kagome, watching her for signs of rejection. He shifted through the array of emotions that were rolling of his little miko, waiting for the one emotion to burn through. His eyebrow raised into his bangs as a smile crossed Kagome's face. Her emotions had settled, giving off the wonderful scent of happiness.

"Koga?"

"Yeah?"

She turned her head so she could see his face. "Thank you." Before Koga could ask what for, she shook her head softly, cutting off his voice. "Thank you for making me feel like somebody. I never realized it before, but Inuyasha only treated me like a shard detector, and never showed me any real affection. You however, you made me feel something tonight, Koga. You made me feel like I was worth something."

He didn't know how to respond to her bold statement because he hadn't expected those words to fall from her mouth. Of course she was worth something, how could she think any different? _Inuyasha, what have you done to this poor girl? _He growled inwardly.

He repositioned himself closer to where Kagome lay. She smiled at him before she abandoned her pillow for his leg. He couldn't stop his face from betraying his shocked expression. His woman was willingly coming to him for affection. Always in the past it had been him to initiate any kind of contact unless she was crying and in need of comfort. With a gentle smile, he placed one hand on her arm while his other ran through her ebony locks.

"Kagome…You will always mean something to me." He said softly.

With a simple yawn, Kagome's eyes closed. She was overly tired and Koga's leg was proving to be a much better pillow than her own pillow. It take long for her to drift off into a blissful sleep void of nightmares and discomforts. She remembered the dream she was having before they were so rudely woken.

_I pick…Koga._

_

* * *

_A/N: I just want to thank all my readers that have left review, they are like air to a writer, you can't live without them! ^.^ You guys are amazing! Secondly I'd like to let you know that since I don't have much of a life outside work, I should be pumping out roughly 4-5 chapters a week! How cool is that!

_Ja Ne!  
_


	8. Chapter 8

_The stench of smoke, blood and other bodily fluids hung in the air, burning the sensitive nose of the wolf prince. Standing on top of a small hill, he overlooked the field of bodies, humans and youkai alike, all gathered together to bring down the destructive spider hanyou. Several scents caught his attention as the battle raged on to the north of the field. Kagome and her friends stood together before Naraku, ready to put an end to the nightmares. Standing amongst them was the inu hanyou clad in the robe of the fire rat. _

_Koga repressed a growl as he glanced over his shoulder where his two best friends usually stood. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Amongst the bodies were two youkai dressed in brown wolf furs. Shaking his head in disbelief, he stumbled backwards. _

"_Ginta…Hakkaku…no…" He babbled, unable to form a coherent sentence. How had this happened? How had he wound up here in this battlefield of death? Where was he when his friends fell, why didn't he save them? All these questions and more coiled around in his mind like a snake, restricting his thought processes, blinding him to everything but the hanyou responsible. His eyes bled a ferocious red and his nails and canines elongated. _

_In a flash of inhuman speed, powered by the jewel shards in his legs, he sped towards his enemy. He drew his right hand back as he called upon the strength of his Goraishi. Before Naraku could react, Koga's claws ripped through his flesh, sending bits and pieces scattering across the ground. _

"_You will die for what you have done, Naraku!" Koga howled with fury as he swung once more. His mind was clouded by such rage he missed the devious smile that filled Naraku's face moments before his claws connected for a second time._

"_Koga stop! He's going to try and absorb you and your jewel shards!"_

_The melodic voice pulled Koga's mind from his frenzy. He jumped away from Naraku and spared a glance in the direction of Kagome. She held her bow tight enough her knuckles were white and her soft brown eyes wide and fill with tears. He didn't understand the reason behind her tears. Were they for him? Was she that worried about his safety? _

"_Koga!" She screamed._

_The chunks of flesh scattered around Koga, launching themselves towards him, grabbing him around the ankles and holding the young prince in place. With a ferocious snarl, he slashed at the flesh, only to have his wrists bound as well. The jewel shards pulsated, reacting to the miasma seeping out of the ookami's bounds. Koga felt the evil seeping into the jewel, corrupting the pure light of his shards, He had to do something and fast!_

"_Koga!" Kagome screamed his name once again, only she was running towards him with no regard for her own safety. _

"_Stay back Kagome!" Koga growled at her while trying to fight the corruption that was emanating from the jewel. _

_The miko could only shake her head in refusal. "No! I can purify the shards!" She dropped to her knees before him, her hands grabbing a hold of Naraku's flesh. He could feel the taint begin to dissipate. "Just a little longer!"_

"_Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled._

_Koga turned his head to see what Mutt-Face was yelling about. He struggled against his restraints. He had to move! He had to save his woman! "Kagome!"_

_The miko looked over to see Naraku launching a tendril towards her, the tip narrowing to a point. Without a doubt, that piece of flesh would pierce her body. Koga felt the flesh around his wrists and ankles begin to loosen, but it was too late. Kagome's ear piercing scream filled the air as the tendril embedded itself into her chest. _

_With a howl of rage and horror, he broke free. His arms wrapped around his little miko as she crumbled to the ground, the tendril already leaving her body. Her now red top was dripping with so much blood he knew she would not survive. There was no way for a human to recover from such a terrible wound._

"_Ko-Koga…" Kagome murmured his name as she tried to touch his face. "Gomen…" Her arms went slack and her hand fell to the ground._

Koga woke clenching his fist to his heart, trying to keep it from beating out of his chest. Images of Kagome's bloody body kept flashing in his mind. He scanned the area for her presence, only to find her head resting in his lap. Koga took a deep breath before relaxing against the tree he had fallen asleep against. _So…It was only a nightmare_. He shook his head to remove the intruding images. He ran his clawed fingers through her hair, smoothing it away from her face. _Don't worry Kagome, I will protect you from Naraku. He won't lay one filthy finger on your pretty head. That, I promise._

The light brush of somebodies hand in her hair stirred Kagome from her sleep. She squeezed her eyelids before attempting to open them. _Inuyasha…?_ She thought as she tried to roll over, only to find her face buried in soft fur. Her eyes flew open. Instead of Inuyasha, she found herself looking up at a serious faced Koga.

_What could have put such a look on his face?_ She reached up and brushed his cheek with her thumb.

"Why the long face, Koga? Is everything alright?" She asked in a whisper, not wanting to wake the rest of the sleeping travelers.

His azure eyes re-focused as he glanced down at the woman in his lap. "It's nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep.

Kagome shook her head, "It's about earlier isn't it?" She removed herself from his lap and sat up. "Listen, Koga, you know what you saw was nothing more than a nightmare, right?"

He diverted his gaze to the dying fire. "I know that, but I can't help but replay it over and over in my head. I can't get the images to leave. I keep seeing you and the others lying on the ground, your blood soaking the ground."

Kagome reached out and took his hand into hers, "That is a chance we all took when we decided to walk this path. There is always the possibility that one of us may not make it out alive, but that is what makes us strong. We strive to protect those closest to us, to make sure we all make it out alive. That is what Naraku doesn't get. By showing us what we fear, he inevitably makes us work that much harder to prevent anything like that from happening."

Koga couldn't help but smile at his little miko. "Thanks Kagome. I think I needed to hear that."

She smiled. "Now why don't we go back to sleep. We still have about an hour or so until dawn."

"Sounds good." Koga reached over and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. He smiled as he felt the blood rush to her face in embarrassment. _That will never get old._ He mused to himself. He reclined against the tree trunk and stared into the tree line. His nose twitched and as the scent of dog drifted his way. He couldn't help but smirk. _So, Mutt-Face, what will you do now that Kagome is out of your reach?_

Inuyasha jumped through the trees. Several hours after everybody else fell asleep; he caught Kagome's scent laced with the sharp scent of wolf.

He landed on a tree branch and took in another deep breath through his nose. _Damned that mangy wolf to hell. What has he done to Kagome? _He growled under his breath. They were close, maybe another mile or so away. He didn't know why he took off in search of them, but he couldn't help but feel that something was happening to Kagome.

Minutes later he found himself perched high in a tree staring down into a small clearing. From where he was, he could easily see Ginta, Hakkaku, and Shippo. He knew Kagome and the mangy wolf were nearby as well, but he couldn't see them from this angle.

Without so much as a rustle of clothing, he dropped down several branches. He couldn't believe his eyes. Koga was sleeping against a tree with his legs stretched out in front of him. One hand lay crossed over his chest while the other lay gently on top of Kagome's head. _What the hell?_ He screamed in his mind, completely caught off guard by the sudden closeness of the two before him.

Nothing happened for several moments and Inuyasha was ready to turn tail and run, but movement from Koga caught his attention. He was gasping for breath and clutching his chest as if it hurt. Curious by this turn of events, Inuyasha decided to stay and watch.

He couldn't help but snarl under his breath as Koga's hand ran through Kagome's hair. The look in the ookami's eyes was also making him ill. Who did he think he was, laying his grimy hands on her head? It took everything in his power to keep himself rooted to his tree branch. Instinctively, Inuyasha's hand rested on the hilt of Tessaiga. To make matters worse, _his _Kagome woke up and touched his face with a tenderness that made him want to vomit. _What the hell did I miss? She's never shown any real interest in Koga before. _ _This has to be the work of a spell or something, there is no way Kagome would actually fall for a lame guy like that._ He thought to himself, trying to convince himself that what he was seeing wasn't Kagome's true feelings.

Even with his keen sense of hearing, he was having a difficult time hearing what they were saying. What he would give to burst into their little camp and rip that bastard's head off, but he didn't want to upset Kagome. He balled his hands into fists and bit his lower lip. _Maybe I can get a little closer…_

He hopped to the next tree, careful not to make even the slightest noise. So far Koga hadn't noticed his presence and that he was truly grateful for.

"Now why don't we go back to sleep. We still have about an hour or so until dawn." Kagome suggested.

"Sounds good."

A snarl slipped out of Inuyasha's mouth as the wolf prince bent over and placed a kiss on her forehead. He trained his eyes on Kagome, waiting for the inevitable slap across the face. She was never one to accept male flirtations without a fight; she was too innocent to do otherwise. Inuyasha wasn't prepared for the coyness that came from Kagome. She actually turned her face away and blushed!

He was ready to burst through the trees when he caught Koga looking in his direction with a cocky smirk on his face. _That bastard…he knows I'm watching! How dare he…Wait…what is that wench doing!_ She lay back down; resting her head in his lap like it belonged there. He shook his head in disbelief before turning tail and making his way back to his pack.

Laughter filled the halls of the almost empty shiro. Sitting in a small room was the young void youkai and the notorious kumo hanyou. The events playing in the mirror of the white child was more than amusing. Never had he expected such a turn of events. He rubbed his hands together as a devious plot formed in his mind. Now that he knew the fears of the ookami prince, things would become more interesting.

"Naraku look." Kanna whispered as she looked down at her mirror.

Naraku looked back into the mirror as the images dissolved, forming yet another picture. It was of a young ookami female garbed in white fur. The scene changed yet again, this time showing the hanyou events that had already come to pass. _So…this woman is already promised to the young wolf prince and yet he seeks another._

"Perfect…" He chuckled, a plot already swirling around in his manipulative mind.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: There was a bit of confusion with my last chapter. At the end, Naraku was referring to Koga's promise to marry Ayame. So he is promised to Ayame, yet he is perusing Kagome. I hope that clears up any misunderstandings.

-oOoOo-

"Stop moping around Inuyasha. What did you expect?" Miroku sighed.

"Keh! She promised to stay with me until we collected the jewel shards! She should at least respect that promise!" The hanyou barked from his tree branch.

Sango could only shake her head at her friend's immaturity level. _Did he really think Kagome would still be loyal to him after seeing something like that? Honestly, he was lucky all she did was leave. I honestly expected her to 'sit' him into oblivion_. _Yet again, Kagome-chan has always been too nice for her own good._

Sango stood up and grabbed her hiraikotsu. "Honestly, how stupid can you be, Inuyasha?"

Miroku and Inuyasha looked up, giving Sango curious glances.

"And where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha asked.

"Since we are close to my village, I figured I would make a stop to visit the graves. Since we have no clue as to where Naraku is, why not take a few days to rest." Sango explained.

She was only telling the partial truth. In all honesty, she wanted to search the area for Kagome. The miko never had the chance to explain things or even say a proper goodbye before leaving with the wolf prince. Even though it has only been a few weeks since her departure, it felt like years have passed since she saw her sister.

"Keh. We don't have time to be messing around!"

"Sango has a point Inuyasha. It would be beneficial for us to take some rest. Not all of us have your youkai fortitude." Miroku also stood up. "You and I can take this time to try and gather information while Sango visits home. This way we are not wasting time."

Inuyasha crossed his arms, stuffing his hands into the sleeves of his haori. He really didn't mind that Sango wanted to go see her family; he just wanted to leave this area as soon as possible. The thought of being this close to Koga and Kagome made his blood boil. He knew if he saw them, he would probably lose his cool and snap. With a snort Inuyasha finally agreed to let the slayer go.

"Meet us back in Edo when you are finished." Inuyasha jumped down from his tree branch and began walking towards the village.

"See you in a few days!" Sango waved as she hopped on Kirara's back.

Once they were airborne, she let Kirara in on her plan. "We will visit the village, but I want to see Kagome-chan." The twin-tail purred in response.

-oOoOo-

Kagome stretched her arms over head as they walked through the seemingly never ending forest. They had been moving since daybreak, not once stopping to rest and her legs were beginning to retaliate. She stared at the back of their fearless leader as he complained about moving at a snail's pace.

"Koga…can we stop for a while…my legs are killing me!" Kagome whined.

Koga stopped almost immediately and the miko braced for his irritation. Surely he wouldn't want to stop because she was tired. She was after all the only ningen in a small group of youkai. She was the only one showing any signs of fatigue. Inuyasha was always one to point out human weaknesses; surely the ookami prince would too.

"Your wish is my command!" Koga smiled as he took her hands.

Kagome couldn't help the look of shock and amazement that flashed across her face. "Are you serious? You're not going to complain? Wow…I could get used to this!" She finally said, breaking out into a fit of laughter.

Shippo scrambled up Kagome and perched on her shoulder, giving her a curious look. He understood her amazement at Koga's understanding, but he didn't get why she was laughing. "Kagome?" Shippo called hesitantly.

"Yes Shippo?" She asked as she struggled to reign in her laughter.

"Why are you laughing?"

"That is a good question, did I say something funny?" Koga inquired.

Kagome shook her head as she wiped away a few stray tears. "No…I'm sorry, it's just that I'm so used to Inuyasha's slave driver attitude, that you caught me off guard."

"That made you laugh?" Shippo scratched the back of his head.

"No…I guess I'm just in a good mood!" She smiled at the kitsune.

She really didn't know why she was laughing, it just happened. Ignoring the strange looks she was getting from the group of ookami, she plopped on the ground, resting against the trunk of a tree. She looked at her friends and couldn't help but smile. _I could get used to this, though I miss Sango and Miroku…I feel bad leaving them the way I did, I mean I never ever got to say goodbye. I couldn't risk seeing Inuyasha at the time, and now I wish I did. Ugh…Sango where are you? I am need of major girl time!_

Kagome was so deep in thought she didn't even notice when Shippo curled in her lap and offered her an apple. She apologized to the kit and bit into the fruit. It wasn't much, but it should hold her over until they rested for the evening. Hopefully Koga wasn't opposed to hunting because she was dangerously low on supplies, and didn't want to use them unless it was an emergency.

-oOoOo-

It was mid-afternoon by the time Kirara was able to pick up Kagome and Shippo's scent. She whined to let Sango aware of her findings. They descended through the tree line, landing next to a very shocked group of wolves.

The moment they landed, Sango found herself knocked off Kirara and pinned to the ground. Her first instinct was to come up fighting but the mass amount of black hair covering her face kept her still.

"Sango-chan! Ohmygoodness! I can't believe you're here!" The voice of her best friend and sister reached her ears.

"It's wonderful to see you too Kagome-chan…but can you let me up?" Sango laughed.

Kagome slid off her sister and stared at her with adoration in her eyes. "Why are you here? Not that I'm complaining or anything." Her attention was drawn from Sango over to Kirara who was nudging the miko with her large nose. "I missed you to Kirara!"

"You didn't lead Mutt-Face here did you?" Koga growled.

Sango looked up at the wolf and shook her head. "No, I didn't. Besides, Inuyasha doesn't deserve to see Kagome-chan after what he did to her! I can't believe he picked that…that…_corpse_ over Kagome!" She ranted. Realizing she was running at the mouth she slapped her hand over her mouth and shot Kagome an apologetic look.

Kagome could only smile. "It's ok Sango-chan. I'm over it."

Sango's eyes widened in disbelief, she could hardly believe what she was hearing. She was expecting Kagome to put on one of her creepy fake smiles and pretend she didn't care, but she looked as if she was telling the truth. She glanced over at Koga then back to Kagome. Things did seem a bit different between the two of them. Could Inuyasha be telling the truth? Has she developed feeling for him?

Sango rose to her feet and approached Koga. "Do you mind if I borrow Kagome for a moment?" Normally she wouldn't have even bothered, but she knew how protective youkai can get when it involved somebody they cared about, especially those of the canine variety.

"Sure." Was all he said.

With a shrug of her shoulders, she marched back over to Kagome. "Grab your bag; I passed a hot springs about a mile back." Kagome's eyes widened. She was on her feet and racing towards said hot springs in record time.

Both girls striped off their clothes and slipped into the warm water. They relaxed against the rocks in complete silence as they washed. There was much Kagome wanted to talk about, but she didn't know how to go about saying it.

"It feels good to bathe knowing there won't be anybody trying to catch a peek." Sango smiled as she submerged herself almost completely, leaving only her mouth above the water line.

Kagome giggled. "Isn't that the truth!" She leaned against a rock and glanced over at their pile of clothes. "Sango-chan…"

"Hmm?"

"What would you say to me if I told you I think I might like Koga?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

Not exactly shocked at her friend's words, she pulled herself up to a sitting position. "I would say good for you."

Kagome let out a sigh, thankful she didn't say anything to criticize her. "Everything is happening so fast, Sango. Inuyasha is with Kikyo and here I am traveling with Koga. Even though I've only been with him for a few weeks, I think I'm starting to fall for him." She brought her hand to cover her heart. "I know I will never be with Inuyasha, and I accept that, but how can I move on so quickly?"

"It's simple really. Deep down, you already knew he was going to pick her over you, and your heart started to pull away even though you weren't aware of it."

Kagome nodded her head in agreement. She had thought something along those lines as well. _I guess this was how things were meant to be…_

"So…you _like_ Koga huh?" Sango winked.

Kagome's face turned several shades of red and looked away from Sango. "I already told you did…" she stuttered quietly.

"Uh-huh…and…?" Sango pried.

"H-he…kissed…me..." her face deepened in color. "And…it was nice…"

Sango couldn't help but laugh at the look on Kagome's face. She never knew it was humanly possible to turn that color of red. _Wow…she's really flustered. _"Aww Kagome-chan that's wonderful!"

-oOoOo-

Kagome and Sango made their way back to the wolves in under an hour, laughing and having a great time. Koga couldn't help but smile at his little miko. He loved seeing her like this, and it reminded him of how she used to be before Mutt-face messed with her heart. _Sango is a good person to have around, she makes Kagome happy._ He thought to himself as they announced their arrival.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried.

Kagome looked down at the little fox, curious as to why he seemed to be distressed. "What's the matter Shippo?"

Shippo pointed an angry finger at Koga. "He wouldn't let me go to the hot springs with you!"

Kagome raised an eyebrow. Now that she thought about it, it was odd that Shippo hadn't followed them. She glanced at Koga, expecting an explanation.

"I will not allow any male to bath with my woman." Koga explained, crossing his arms.

Kagome's eyebrow twitched out of habit, though she really wasn't frustrated. In fact, she almost enjoyed hearing him call her his woman. "You know, Koga, Shippo always bathes with us. It's nothing to worry about, he's only a kid."

Sango looked between the two, knowing full well where this was going. She sighed. Kagome has always been so naïve. Sure, Shippo was a child, but to Koga he was a potential rival for his intended.

Koga sighed. He knew the kit wasn't an honest threat, but his instinct wouldn't let the fox near Kagome while she bathed. He felt bad about it and honestly hated feeling like the bad guy, but this was life. He looked up at Kagome. "I know he's a kid, but he's old enough to bath on his own."

Kagome seemed to think it over. "I guess you're right." She glanced down at Shippo. "He has a point Shippo. You won't be able to bath with us forever."

Shippo's emerald eyes glistened with tears. "But but, Kagome!"

Kagome shook her head, putting on her motherly face. "No Shippo. I'm sorry, but Koga is right."

"Ok…" He resigned the fight. He knew once she looked like that, there would be no arguing with her.

"So, Sango, how long will you be staying?" Ginta asked as he walked back into the clearing carrying a dead boar on his shoulder.

Sango thought about it for awhile. "I don't know…I mean I don't want to intrude."

"You're not intruding!" Kagome piped up.

Sango smiled. "I'm not expected back for three days…so..."

"Then it's settled!"

-oOoOo-

This chapter is pretty much a filler, but I thought Kagome could use some girl time, I know I would after what she has gone through! I promise to get the story moving next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

Kagome couldn't help but shed a few tears as her best friend and sister flew away on her twin-tail. She had stayed for two days and she still needed to visit the slayer village. Sango's visit had done wonders for her mood and the miko was all smiles.

Koga watched the girls as they said their goodbyes and couldn't help but smile at the joyous aura that surrounded Kagome. He hadn't seen her this happy in a long time. _I wonder why she's so happy…it can't just be because the slayer came to visit. _He shrugged his thoughts away and hollered at Kagome. They were near the den and he was planning on making a visit before they head back out in search of Naraku.

"Where we going?" She asked as she scooped Shippo up in her arms.

Koga pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "To the den."

"Good, that will give me enough time to make a visit to the well! My bag is almost empty and I need to restock!" She began to ramble off a list of things she needed, not caring that Koga, Ginta and Hakkaku had no idea what she was talking about. Only Shippo understood, but that was because he had been with her long enough to learn about the conveniences of Kagome's world.

"Can you bring me some new crayons?" Shippo asked, giving Kagome his version of the puppy dog eyes.

"Of course!" She glanced at her confused comrades and grinned. "Don't worry I'll bring something for you guys as well!"

With that said, they began their short trek back to the wolf den. Ginta and Hakkaku inquired about her era. That was all it took to get Kagome going. She went into detail about her school life and how she needed to take a few days to study for an upcoming test. She ranted about Inuyasha always bothering her and keeping her from her studies and insisting that she come back to the Sengoku Jidai. Before long she was talking about the luxury of plumbing and hot water. By the time she was done chattering, all three wolves were staring at her in confusion. They had no idea what she was talking about, but none of them had the heart to tell her that.

It was almost nightfall by the time they reached the den and Kagome was itching for a bath. Walking across the countryside during the heat of summer was excruciating and reeked havoc on her skin and hair. No matter how many times Shippo told her she smelled fine, she couldn't help but feel filthy. She never worried about it so much before, but now that she was staying in the company of a group of super sniffers, she was afraid of offending them.

She sat the fox kit on the ground and went in search of the small hot springs that sat on the outskirts of the wolf den.

Pausing behind a tree, she scanned the area. Sensing nobody in the immediate vicinity, she stripped off her clothes and cannon balled into the water, sending water everywhere. When she came up for air, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. _I haven't done that in years!_ She made her way back to the edge of the springs to grab her shampoo and conditioner.

"Better get clean before my bath is interrupted…" Kagome sighed as she lathered the shampoo into her hair. It never failed, whenever she wanted to bathe alone, she was always interrupted by someone or something.

Sure enough, just after rinsing the conditioner from her hair, she heard a rustle in the bushes. She muffled a ear piercing scream and sunk lower in the water, making sure everything was completely covered.

"It's good to be home."

Kagome felt her face turn a deep crimson when the voice reached her ears. She wanted nothing more than to shrivel in a ball and die. She was so embarrassed, she didn't even notice when he stepped into her line of sight in nothing more than his birthday suit. How he didn't notice her was completely beyond her, but she had other things to worry about, like a nude Koga stepping into the water.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Kagome shrieked at the top of her lungs the moment she realized what was going on. It was like he was in a different world, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Koga's eyes refocused when he heard Kagome scream. At first he thought she was in danger, that was until he looked down to see her almost completely submerged in the hot springs. He couldn't tell if it was the temperature of the water, or because she was livid, but her face was redder than he's ever seen. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't even picked up on Kagome's scent as he neared the hot springs.

He should have removed himself from the water and leave her to finis her bath, but he couldn't help but let his eyes linger over her body. Sure, she was almost completely underwater, but with the light of the moon over head, he was able to make out the roundness of her breasts. He couldn't help but smirk at the sight of her.

Kagome followed his line of sight and gasped. She covered her chest with one arm and shot out of the water. She had had enough with the peeping toms! She pointed her an angry finger at the awe struck ookami.

"I can't believe you! Get out of the water you hentai!" She poked his hard in the chest.

Koga raised an eyebrow as he looked over the rest of her body now that she was uncovered. He nodded in appreciation, only to feel the wrath of the miko before him. Her hand snaked out and slapped him hard across the face, leaving a perfect hand print on his cheek.

"I'm going home!" She shrieked before storming out of the water, only stopping to grab her pile of clothes.

_I can't believe the nerve of that guy! You'd think he would leave and apologize the moment he realized I was in there, but noooo he had to go and stare like a complete hentai! Grrr….oh my goodness…I cannot believe that happened. _Kagome blushed harder as she covered her face with her hands. _He saw me naked and I saw him naked. That is so so so….Ugh! Why can't I get stop blushing?_ Kagome pulled on her clothes once she was far enough from prying eyes. _Damn, I left my bag at the hot springs…I'll send Shippo to go get it._

She walked back to the wolf den trying to coax her face back to its normal ivory color. It took a lot of effort, but she managed.

"Shippo!" The miko called as she walked into the cave.

The kitsune rushed to Kagome and looked up at her. He could tell by the look in her eye, something had happened. "What's the matter Kagome?"

Instantly, her face boiled in embarrassment. She shook the image of a naked Koga from her mind. "No-nothing! Can you to the hot springs and grab my bag? I left it there and Koga's bathing. I don't want to interrupt him."

Shippo's eyebrow raised into his auburn bangs. "Sure Kagome."

Kagome thanked him before sliding down the cave wall. She sat with her arms wrapped around her knees until the kitsune returned with her bag. Thankfully for Shippo, the bag was almost empty, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to carry it. It didn't take long for him to return.

"Here you go, Kagome!"

"Thank you Shippo." She smiled before looking around the cave. "Can you help me find Ginta and Hakkaku? I wanted to see if they could take me home."

"Huh? You're not going to have Koga take you?"

The twitch of her eye and the fact that her hands balled into fists, let Shippo know she was upset about something. It was the same look she got when Inuyasha did something to upset her.

"Uh…ok…forget I said anything…I'll go find them." Shippo stuttered before taking off. He didn't want to be around when she exploded, and judging by the look in her face it was going to happen very soon. The fox sniffed the air and caught Koga's scent coming closer. _Let's ask him what happened._ He scampered off in that direction.

Kagome was ready to leave by herself when she ran into Ginta and Hakkaku near the waterfall. She rushed over to them. "Hey guys! Can you take me to the Bone-Eaters well?"

The men exchanged glances. "I thought you were going to wait for tomorrow." Ginta pointed out.

"Does Koga know about this?" Hakkaku chimed.

"Who cared what Koga thinks? Seriously guys, can't you do anything without consulting him first? Just take me home!" Kagome snapped, her face red with anger.

"Yes Ma'am!" They saluted in unison. They followed behind the angry woman as she stormed off towards the village of Edo. Neither of them had the courage to ask her what had changed her mood so drastically. Not two hours ago she was chipper and happy and now she was angrier than they've ever seen her.

-oOoOo-

Deep in the northern mountains, Ayame raced through the trees, enjoying the feel of the wind in her hair. She stared up at the full moon and smiled. _Someday…under the full moon, Koga and I will be married. I will wait for you Koga, no matter how long it takes._ She thought to herself as she resisted to howl at the moon. The light was beautiful tonight, bathing the mountain side in it's silver glow. Nobody could ask for a more perfect night.

Her small group of wolves stopped in their tracks and called for her to stop. She whirled around and watched her friends with concern. They took turns yipping and whining, warning her of an approaching evil. It was true. She closed her eyes and scanned the area, easily spotting the formidable youkai aura approaching her location.

Her eyes snapped open and she held several small leaved between her fingertips, ready to fight if need be. In a whirl of youki and debris a male youkai appeared with a much smaller female youkai of the palest coloring. The scent coming from them registered as familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Who are you?" Ayame asked.

The male chuckled as he tossed a stray lock of ebony hair behind his back. "Are you the one known as Ayame?"

The ookami nodded her head. "I am."

The man grinned. "My name is Naraku, this here is Kanna. We have something here that might interest you."

Ayame's eyes widened. That was why she recognized the scent. She had come across it awhile ago when she was trying to find Koga. He was the person Koga was hunting, the one that massacred dozens of ookami youkai. Ayame couldn't help but snarl at the man before her. He was Koga's enemy, therefore, he was her enemy as well.

Naraku didn't even blink an eye at the woman before him. He motioned for Kanna to step forward. _This aught to catch her attention._

Ayame's growl was cut off when the mirror of the pale youkai began to glow. Her first reaction was to defend herself, but an attack never came. Instead, her reflection began to change, revealing another person in its place. Ayame's eyes widened. She was staring at Koga and Kagome. The two of them were standing in a think forest at night. She couldn't tell if what she was seeing was a past event or something that was happening now, but either way, she could tear her eyes away from the mirror.

"_Koga…"Kagome whispered as she pulled her hand from his arm and placed it close to her heart. "Koga…I know it isn't my business, but what did you see?"_

_Kagome's breath caught in her throat as Koga's arms wrapped around her, pulling her tightly to his chest. He pressed his nose against the top of her head, taking in her scent. Satisfied, he place a kiss on the crown of her head. "I thought I lost you Kagome…"_

"_I'm not going anywhere Koga…I promise." She whispered._

Ayame gasped and looked away from the mirror the moment Koga bent over and kisses Kagome on the lips. She couldn't bare to watch anymore. This couldn't be real, this had to be something Naraku made up. She shook her head, whishing she never laid eyes on that cursed mirror.

"Koga has fallen into Kagome's web. She is taking Koga away from you, are you going to let her get away with this?' Naraku asked, hints of mischief evident in his crimson eyes.

Ayame brought her teary green eyes up to meet his. "So…She's been after him all along? But I thought her and that inu hanyou had something together…"

Naraku shook his head. "No, Ayame. Kagome has chosen Koga, leaving Inuyasha and his group behind. There is nothing stopping the miko now that Inuyasha is out of the picture."

Ayame shook her head. "No…this can't be happening. He promised to marry me! Me damnit, some some stupid ningen female!"

"What if I told you there was a way to get Kagome out of the picture?" Naraku smirked.

Ayame sniffled back tears as she looked at him. _Can he be trusted? Is this the truth? I don't know what to think after seeing that! Koga did say she was his woman, but she never showed the slightest interest in him. What could have changed? Damnit all to hell!_

"Tell me."

Naraku smiled. This was going to be fun.

-oOoOo-

A/N: First and foremost I want to thank miss requiem passion for all her wonderful reviews! I appreciate all the comments that have been made, so don't feel left out! *hands out virtual cookies to everyone*

Anyway, I promised to get the plot rolling and so I did! The first part of this was really hard to write since the mood was happy and supposed to be funny. Normally that isn't too much of a problem, but it has been a crappy day and its hard to write happy moments when I'm not happy. So if this chapter sucks, I apologize!


	11. Chapter 11

The smell of the city assaulted Kagome's nose the moment she stepped outside. Her nose wrinkled in slight disgust at the scent of car exhaust and other pollutants. This was one of the few things about her own era that she didn't like. She preferred the fresh clean air of the past, before technology had taken root. She glanced up at the sky hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars only to be disappointed when the lights of the city drowned them out.

With a sigh, Kagome entered the house. She slipped off her shoes and made her way into the kitchen where she found her mother standing over the counter kneading a ball of cookie dough. She leaned against the door frame and watched her mother busy herself with the making of cookies. It was times like this she missed staying in this era, away from war and famine. She missed spending the evening with her family. She shook her head. _There is nothing I can do about that now. I have a task I must complete. _She ran her fingers through her bangs. It was more than that. She was afraid of what would happen once she completed the Shikon no Tama. Would she be forced back to her time period, never to see her friends again? Would she be stuck back in the Sengoku Jidai, never to see her family again? It was something that had been on her mind the moment she realized she was in love with Inuyasha.

Now that her and Inuyasha were no longer together, would she still be welcome to stay in the past? She shook her head. Of course she would. Miroku, Sango and Shippo would love it if she did. Her mind strayed to her new wolf companions. _Would they like it if I stayed?_ A smile crossed her face as she thought of the kiss her and Koga shared. Of course they would like it.

"Kagome?"

The young miko was brought out of her reflections by the sound of her mother's voice. She brought her gaze up to meet the soft brown eyes of her mom. "Hi Mom."

Mrs. Higurashi wiped her flour covered hands on her apron and approached her daughter. "Why the serious face?"

Kagome couldn't help but smile. "It's nothing Mama. Just thinking about things." She looked past her mother at the bowl of cookie dough. "Can I help?"

"Of course, Dear."

Mother and daughter set to work on placing little balls of dough on a cookie sheet, neither speaking to the other. They enjoyed each other's silent companionship, both working on an activity they enjoyed while Kagome was growing up.

Finally, when the cookies were set to bake in the oven, they finally spoke. They sat across from each other at the table, sipping on cups of hot tea. "What were you thinking about that made your face so serious?"

Kagome looked down at her cup of tea and sighed. She had been meaning to discuss this with her mother, but the right time never came around. It was hard finding the time when her mom was always busy with housework. It didn't help that Inuyasha was always hovering, bugging her to come back through the well to look for more jewel shards. Time alone with her mother had become maddeningly scarce.

She listened for sounds of her little brother, Souta and her Grandfather. Since the house was unusually quiet, she assumed they were already tucked into bed. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was a little past midnight.

"Mama…What do you think will happen once the Shikon no Tama is completed?" Kagome asked softly.

_So that is what bothering her. I should have guessed._ Mrs. Higurashi reached out and placed her hand over her daughters. Kagome brought her eyes up to meet hers and she smiled. Her daughter was one of a kind and truly a miracle to behold. Despite the hardships she has gone through and the things she has seen, she still came to her mother with questions. "I don't know, Sweetheart. Why do you ask?"

The beginning of tears were building in the corner of Kagome's eyes. "I'm so confused. I'm not sure where I belong anymore. I know I belong here with you guys, but I don't think I can just leave my other friends behind…Shippo…what will happen to him if I'm no longer there to take care of him?" Kagome squeezed her mothers hand tightly, hoping she would have the answer to her question.

"This is a big decision, and one that you must decide for yourself, Kagome. I can't tell you what do do, but I can help you sort through your thoughts. Sometimes we already have the answer, but we are to afraid to see it."

Kagome blinked away her tears. "You mean…I already have the answer?" Mrs. Higurashi nodded her head. Kagome closed her eyes and shifted through her worries and fears, looking for the answer deep within her body. She could feel it just beyond her grasp. "Thank you Mama…you're the best."

The oven timer went off. Kagome rushed to the oven and pulled the sheet of cookies from the heat. She placed the cookies on the stove and took in their sweet scent. Deciding it would be too much of a pain to wait for the cookies to cool, she pulled one off the plate and began nibbling.

-oOoOo-

"What do you mean, you took her home?" Koga shouted angrily at his two best friends as they walked back into the den in the middle of the night.

Ginta and Hakkaku glanced at each other, swallowing hard. Never before had they been on the receiving end of their young prince's wrath, and they were quickly finding out that it was very uncomfortable. They knew Koga would be upset that she left without him, but they never expected his youki to explode around them in anger. He had always been protective of Kagome, but this was different, more intense somehow. What had happened between the two of them to cause him to react in such anger. The both knew by scent alone that they had yet to be mated, so that couldn't possibly be it.

"Ye-yes Koga. She ordered us to take her to the well…we didn't think it was that big of a deal since she was planning on going there in the morning anyway." Ginta stammered.

Koga's eyes flashed red before settling back to their normal azure color. "Do you realize how stupid you are? What if Mutt-Face follows her? I won't be there to stop him!" he growled, trying his best to real in his beast, which was demanding blood be spilt for putting his intended in possible danger.

"I'm sorry Koga…We didn't realize…" Hakkaku stuttered, finally understanding Koga's anger. If Inuyasha had gone after her, there was nothing anybody could do about it and it would be their fault.

Without another word between the wolves, Koga took off, wrapping himself in his cyclone of youki. _Don't worry, Kagome, I'll make sure Mutt-Face doesn't come anywhere near you! _He promised as he raced towards the Bone-Eaters well.

-oOoOo-

"Ohayo!" Kagome smiled as she padded into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. Grabbing her chopsticks, she dug into the breakfast her mother had prepared. She had woken up expecting to go to school this morning, but Souta had informed her there was no school today. She found herself smiling all the way through breakfast. She didn't have to worry about class and could spend her day searching for gifts for everyone. Not to mention, she was in need of more supplies.

"What do you have planned for today Kagome?" Grandpa asked, casting a curious glance in her direction.

She pointed her chopsticks in his direction. "If you must know, I am going shopping today."

After breakfast, Kagome gathered up her purse and set out. There were several things she needed to purchase, and she still had no idea what to bring back for her wolf friends. Shippo was easy, all he needed was some paper and a box of crayons and he was set to go for awhile. The memory of her first encounter with Koga and how pissed Inuyasha was about Koga's advances. Inuyasha was flustered for a long time, refusing to apologize to the little miko. She remembered the little story book Shippo put together to ask Kaede for help. The thoughts had her smiling all the way down the shrine stairs.

The stores were all packed with students who were enjoying their day off from school. She pushed her way through the mall, looking for the perfect gifts for her friends. After her third shop, her shoulder slumped in defeat. She couldn't think of a single thing to bring the wolves. Just before she stepped towards the exit, a small stand in the middle of the aisle caught her attention. She walked over to the stand, curious as to what they were selling. Several pieces of jewelry caught her attention. Most of them were of the Native American design. A necklace stood out amongst the rest, drawing her attention like a lighthouse of a foggy night. She reached out and ran her fingers across it. Hanging from the black chain was a wolf howling at the moon, encircled by a silver band with a feather engraved at the top of the circle.

"Have you found something you like?" The saleswoman asked as she approached Kagome from the side, not wanting to catch her off guard.

Kagome pulled the necklace off the peg and handed it to the woman. "I would like to buy this please." She smiled, knowing that Koga would absolutely love it.

After purchasing the necklace, she felt the urge to look around the mall some more, hoping for find equally fitting gifts for Ginta and Hakkaku. They were harder to shop for since she didn't know them as well as Koga, but she was sure they would appreciate just about anything she brought them.

"Kagome!" A female's voice called her name from inside one of the shops.

At first Kagome thought she was hearing things, but she heard her name once more. She paused and looked around, trying to put a face to the voice. Her face lit up in a bright smile when she recognized her three friends. Clutching her small bag, she rushed over to the store they were in.

The moment she was in the presence of her friends, time seemed to fly by. Thoughts of searching for gifts had flown out the window, replaced by the feeling of peace. She enjoyed spending times with her friends in the era even though they didn't understand her half the time since she was so used to traveling five hundred years in the past. Over the course of the next three hours she was forced to explain about her and Inuyasha's break up and the fact there was already another man on her radar. It didn't surprise her when her friends agreed that Koga sounded like a much better guy. She chuckled out loud. She could just imagine Koga throwing his shoulders back and pounding on his chest, declaring that he was obviously better than stupid mutt face. The visual was so powerful, she actually laughed out loud.

It wasn't until the crowds began to disperse that she realized how much time had passed. Waving goodbye to her friends, she rushed from the mall to the grocery store to stock up on food.

It was after four by the time the teenager made her way back up the stairs of her shrine, her arms tired from carrying the bags of food halfway across town. She dropped the food on the kitchen floor in a huff before walking over to the sink and getting herself a glass of water.

"Who are you?" Kagome heard her mother ask from outside near the sacred tree. The worry in her mothers voice was strong enough that Kagome immediately scanned the area with her aura, coming to pause on the person standing before her mother. Kagome's jaw would have hit the ground it were possible. She dropped her half full glass into the sink and rushed outside.

"Where is Kagome?" The voice growled, trying his best to keep himself in check. He could tell by scent alone that this woman was Kagome's mother, but she was infuriating. She wouldn't tell him anything unless he gave his name. Normally it wouldn't have been an issue, but he was in a hurry. He needed to make sure she was safe. He needed to make sure he got here before Inuyasha could make his way to her. He should have been able to sniff out the mutt, but with all the strange offensive smells of this time period, he was having problems picking up on a single scent.

Kagome approached her mother and the very angry wolf that stood in front of her. She wanted to throw a barrage of questions at him, but she needed to reign in his temper first. "Koga?" She called out to him hesitantly, hoping he wasn't beyond mad that he wouldn't recognize her. Deep down she truly feared he wouldn't. She had been on the receiving end of Inuyasha when his demon blood took over, and it was a terrifying experience. She had to be honest though. He didn't look out of control, and his eyes were their normal bright blue, but his aura was erratic.

Koga's fury turned off like a switch at the sound of Kagome's voice. He swiveled to look at her, making sure she had no signs of injuries. Much to his satisfaction, she was completely flawless. "Kagome!" He stomped over to her, not forgetting the reason for a portion of his anger. He towered over her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why the hell didn't you wait for me to bring you home? You know how dangerous it is for you to be wandering around the woods!"

In a flash Kagome's temper flared, her eyes glowing with power, causing Koga to take an unconscious step backwards. The miko poked his armor with her pointer finger. "I wonder why I didn't' wait for you…you hentai! You had no right to act like that last night! And besides I wasn't just wandering around in the woods, and I brought Ginta and Hakkaku with me! It wasn't like I went out alone! Kami! Why do you canine males have to be be so over protective! I can take care of myself!"

Mrs. Higurashi could only stare at her oldest child, wondering when she had acquired such a temper. She always had a stubborn side, but she had never seen her daughter act like this. Could this be because of the treatment she received from Inuyasha, or was it the tough life style in general that had hardened her little girl?

Koga growled at her words. He didn't like being even remotely compared to the flea bitten mutt. She did have a point, she did take two wolves with her, but that still didn't account for the fact that he was supposed to be the one to take her! "What would you have done if Inuyasha came here looking for you? I wouldn't have been here to protect you!" He snipped back.

Kagome's eyes widened at his words. Now that she thought about it, Inuyasha had tried to follow her last time she came home, but Koga had prevented him. She almost slapped her forehead at her stupidity. "Koga…I'm…"

Her words were cut off by a surprised yelp from Koga, who about jumped out of his skin. Kagome blinked in confusion until she spotted her mother standing behind Koga with his tail in her hands. The miko let out a sigh. Leave it to her mother to go for the tail…

"What the hell are you doing? Let go of my tail!" Koga shouted, trying to pry his precious tail from the woman's' grasp. She couldn't' possibly know how sensitive his tail was and he wasn't about to tell her.

"Kawaii!" The woman cooed as she released the tail. "I couldn't help it!" Kagome's mother blushed profusely as she turned and walked towards the house.

Completely ignoring the strangeness that had come over her mother, she looked up at Koga's eyes. "How did you get here?"

"The well of course!" Koga beamed.


	12. Chapter 12

"What do you mean you came in through the well?" Kagome asked, her mouth hanging open in complete shock.

"Just like I said…I came through the well!" Koga repeated himself for the third time.

"How?"

"How else? I jumped down into the well." Koga sighed not knowing how else to explain it to her. Sure, when he jumped down, he felt his jewel shards pulsate, but that had been happening a lot lately. He rubbed his chin. No, it was different this time. Before, the jewel shards grew heavy. This time they felt light as a feather. It was almost like they _wanted_ him to go through the well.

"That doesn't make any sense…Nobody should be able to get through the well except Inuyasha…I don't get it…" Kagome mumbled under her breath. She didn't understand why the idea of Koga coming through the well bothered her so much. It would make sense that other people would be able to travel through it since Inuyasha could. But what allowed them to? That was the question that was gnawing at the back of her mind. She glanced down at Koga's legs. _Could it be the jewel shard that allowed him access? It's possible…but then how come Shippo couldn't get through the well when he had them in his possession? _Her eyes widened as a thought crossed her mind. Shippo may have had the jewel shards in his hands, but Koga was actually drawing upon the power of the jewel. She looked at Koga's face and a feeling of dread overcame her. If Koga could use the shards power to get through the well…_Naraku…_

Koga watched several emotions flashed across Kagome's face. He was used to her fluctuating emotions by now, but when the look of fear and dread crossed her face, he began to worry. "Kagome…what is wrong?"

She shook her head before lowering her gaze to the bench beneath them, her bangs covering her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to think of the horrible possibilities that would befall her family if Naraku learned of the well. He would use them to get to her and it would work. She would do everything in her power to protect her family even if it meant giving her own life.

Koga's hand brushed Kagome's cheek. He didn't know what was bothering her, or where her thoughts had taken her, but he didn't like it one bit. He vowed he would protect her, but he couldn't do anything about her thoughts. "Kagome…talk to me…"

"This is bad…very bad." She looked up at him. "I have to leave this place…I can't allow anything to happen to my family. They can't protect themselves like I can."

He raised an eyebrow at her words. What was she talking about? "Kagome…explain."

She shook her head. "Why did it have to come to this!" She shrieked as she stood from the bench and stomped her foot in anger. "I always knew I had a decision to make…but I didn't expect it to be because of something like this."

Koga was really beginning to worry. He had never seen her like this. He stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You realize I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kagome growled under her breath and stomped her foot once more. She spun on her heel and glared up at Koga. "This is all you're fault! If you hadn't come through the well…" her anger faded as quickly as it came. Tears poured down her face. _No…this isn't Koga's fault. _She laughed under her breath. _Hell, I should be thanking him. If he hadn't come I never would have realized how much danger everybody was in._ _Why did this have to happen to me? What ever did I do to deserve such a fate? Surely the Kami are all laughing at me. I'm such a fool._

Koga just stood and stared at his little miko. He didn't know what to do or say since he had no idea what she was going on about. Her emotions were completely erratic. He was so deep in thought he was caught off guard when he felt Kagome's arms snake around his waist. He stared down at her onyx colored hair as he held her to him. "Kagome…"

"I'm sorry for yelling. I didn't mean it, honestly. I don't blame you." Her voice came out broken and sad.

Koga sat back down on the bench, pulling her onto his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the comforting way his hand moved up and down her back. They sat like that for several moments before Kagome finally gathered the courage to speak. She was afraid of voicing her thoughts out loud. It made it seem more real…more dangerous. It was like keeping her thoughts to herself would keep the evil away. If the words never left her lips, the enemy wouldn't come to the same conclusion she had.

"I have to destroy the well." Kagome whispered in a voice so low, Koga had to strain to hear her.

His eyes widened at her words. Why would she think something like that? Was it all because he had managed to somehow defeat the barrier of the well? Surely she wasn't that mad at him. He stared down at her with his bright blue eyes wide with shock. Destroying the well would mean she could no longer travel between their two worlds. Which side would she choose to call home?

"Why, Kagome, why destroy the well?" He asked.

"To protect my family…" She removed her head from his shoulder and met his fearful gaze. "If you can come through the well that means others using the jewel shards can get through…"

Suddenly everything made sense to Koga. She was worried that Naraku would come through and destroy her world like he was doing to his. "What will happen to you?" He hated asking because he was afraid of her response.

"I still have a responsibility to see to the completion of the Shikon no Tama." She wiped away another barrage of tears that managed to escape her eyes.

Koga didn't know whether to be happy that she was planning on staying with him, or sad that she would be forced to abandon her family. He didn't have much time to think about it because Kagome's mother had stepped outside, calling them inside for dinner.

Kagome slid off Koga's lap and put on a smile. This could very well be the last dinner she had with her family. It would be best not to ruin it by being depressed. She held her hand out for Koga to take hold of. "Let me introduce you to my family."

"Ok." He took her hand and followed her silently into the strange house. The moment he stepped inside his nose was assaulted by a variety of wonderful smells that made his mouth water. He could tell were Kagome got her cooking skills from based on smell alone.

They walked through a decent sized room with strange looking furniture and a large box that sat in the corner. Since the furniture was all facing that direction, he assumed it was and object of great importance. He wanted to ask Kagome about all of the strange objects he passed, but he could tell she wanted to be with her family. He could always ask her some other time.

The moment they walked into the kitchen, everybody's attention was drawn to the young wolf prince. They were used to seeing Inuyasha, but this man was different. He wore brown fur wrappings and a black and gray chest plate and surprisingly enough he had a tail. Souta's eyes widened at the man before him, practically bouncing in his seat with the amount of questions that were swimming through his mind.

Grandpa jumped out of his chair and reached into his haori. He pulled out a small stack of sacred sutras and readied himself to purify the demon that had dared to walk into his house.

Koga raised and eyebrow at the old man. He could sense a sliver of holy power in the man, but it wasn't nearly enough to actually do any harm. He cast a sideways glance at Kagome who looked like she was ready to fillet the elder.

"Put those away Gramps! Koga isn't evil and he isn't going to eat us, jeesh!" Kagome fumed as she sat at the table. "You can sit here Koga." She patted the chair beside her, far away from her grandpa.

"Yeah…sure." He mumbled as he sat in the chair. He looked at the array of food on the table unsure of what half of it was. Never before had he seen such a variety of food in one place.

"I wasn't sure what you ate, so I decided to make a little bit of everything." Mrs. Higurashi smiled as she placed an empty plate in front of the ookami.

Dinner went over rather well. Grandpa left Koga alone for the most part while Souta berated him with hundreds of questions, mostly about his idol, Inuyasha. It took everything in Koga's power not to snap at the child. Why the brat liked the mutt was beyond him, but who was he to judge who he liked or didn't like. Kagome remained quiet, only speaking when spoken too. By the time dinner was finished, Souta grabbed Koga by his hand and dragged him around the house, showing him all the cool things that came with living in his era.

"Poor Koga…" Kagome sighed as she listened to Souta explain what a TV was. It was even more comical when he turned it on. Poor Koga about had a heart attack.

Her mother stood at the sink washing up the dishes while Kagome dried and put them away. It was such a normal thing to do, one that Kagome had done a million times…one she had taken for granted. Spending time with her mother never seemed so important until now, now that she was on borrowed time.

"Mama…"

"Yes Dear?"

"I've made up my mind. You were right…I did have the answer and I was too scared to see it. Heh…even now I'm terrified of the answer, but it is something that I have to do." Kagome put a plate in the cupboard. "I know where I belong…"

Her mother only nodded her head as she handed Kagome another plate. She knew this day was fast approaching, and she had come to terms with what this day would bring. Her little girl, her Kagome was never meant to be in this world. She never completely fit in. She was bound for greater things. She looked over her shoulder at the youkai in the living room and smiled. It was nice to meet the young man that had rescued her little girl from the domineering attitude of Inuyasha. She knew Inuyasha meant well, he just wasn't meant for Kagome. They clashed too much for them to have a truly happy life together. With the short time she has known the wolf, she could tell he would care for her and not try to hold her back. He comforted her when she needed it, but when Inuyasha tried, he would complain about her being weak. She smiled. This is how it should be.

"Mama? Are you listening?" Kagome asked.

"Sorry, Kagome. I heard you."

"I have to leave…forever."

"I know."

Kagome put the dish she was drying on the counter and hugged her mother with everything she had, tears flowing freely. She hated saying goodbye, it was never easy. She wept with her face buried in her mothers bosom until her tears ran dry.

"What about Souta and Grandpa?" Kagome asked as she looked up into her mother's comforting brown eyes.

"Don't worry about it Kagome, I'll explain everything."

Evening came and went and the residents of the Higurashi house were all asleep except Kagome and Koga. They sat on the pink blankets that covered her bed, staring at each other.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Koga asked, taking her hand into his much larger ones.

Kagome nodded her head, gathering courage from his bright blue eyes. She could do this as long as she was with Koga. "I'm sure."

-oOoOo-

A/N: phew, I'm on a roll! And guess what? I'm working on the next chapter as we speak! If you're lucky I'll be posting two chapters tonight! ^.^ *dances* I was struck by the muse this afternoon and so I have tons of ideas bubbling in the back of my sinister little mind. Teehee! *Hands out chocolate chip cookies to all the readers* Enjoy!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Ha! I bet some of you more dirty minded readers thought they were going to have sex! Bahahaha tricked you! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Though there may be a lemon later in the story, just not now. If you're lucky there may be a lime in the very near future! Anywhooo, on with the show!

-oOoOo-

Kagome sighed as she dropped back on her bed. She stared out at her bedroom floor and the three large bags that sat there. Since she wasn't going to be able to return, she needed to pack more supplies, not to mention personal items that would remind her of home. She glanced over her check list. Photo album, check. Lots of feminine supplies, check. Extra shampoo and conditioner, check. An over abundance of medical supplies, check. Koga's gift, check. Bag of cookies for the guys, check. She continued down the list, marking things off as she went.

Koga walked into the bedroom carrying another bag. He didn't understand why she needed all this stuff, but he couldn't really blame her since she couldn't return. He looked over at her and shook his head. It wasn't fair for these things to keep happening to her. Surely, she would have some form of luck in the near future.

"Koga, can you take these bags down to the well please?" Kagome asked as she stuffed a pair of clothing into her enormous yellow bag.

"Sure thing." He hoisted two of the heavier bags and jumped out of her bedroom window.

Kagome muffled a giggle as she watched her ookami companion jump from her window. It brought back memories of Inuyasha. He never came in or left through the front door. It was always her window. Maybe it was a canine thing.

She glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand and stifled a yawn. It was going on eleven and she was tired. Originally she planned on leaving as soon as everything was packed, but she wanted one last night in the comfort of her own bed.

By the time Koga returned, he found Kagome curled in a ball on the bed, her eyes already shut. By the sound of her breathing, she was still awake, but just barely. He sat beside her and placed his hand on her waist. "I thought you wanted to leave tonight."

Her eyes fluttered open at the gentle sound of Koga's voice and the feel of his hand on her waist. "I just want to sleep here…one last time." She whispered, secretly glad he was here in her room.

"Where would you like me to stay?" He asked.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced around her bedroom wondering where he could sleep. There was the couch, but she didn't want to risk waking Souta and Grandpa up since they both slept downstairs. He could sleep on the floor, but she already packed her extra blanket and she wasn't going to make him go back to the well and unpack it.

"I guess you can sleep with me on the bed…just keep your paws to yourself." She warned as she slid closer to the wall.

Koga couldn't help but smile down at his little miko. He slid off his chest plate and propped his sword against the stand beside her bed before sliding into the soft bed beside her. The bed was small and didn't leave much room to stretch, but Koga had to admit, it was much more comfortable than his pile of furs back home. He rolled over to spoon with Kagome since there was really nowhere else to put his arms.

Kagome let out a small squeak when she felt Koga's arm wrap around her waist, pulling her closer. She wanted to push him away and tell him to keep his hands to himself, but she couldn't help but notice how comfortable it actually was. Never before had she fallen asleep in the arms of a man and she had to admit, it felt pretty darn good.

He pressed his lips against the top of her head and pulled her closer. It was amazing how well her small frame fit against his much larger one. It was as if she was made just for him. Her body was stiff at first, surprised by the sudden contact, but her body was slowly loosening and he felt her wiggle closer, unconsciously rubbing her backside against his more sensitive regions. His eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of her body moving against his, resisting to urge to pounce on her and finally claim her as his own. She was not ready for such a commitment and he knew that. Instead, he rolled Kagome over so she was on her back, staring up at him in confusion.

"Koga?" She inquired, wondering what exactly he was doing. She couldn't help but notice the hungry look in his eyes and her face immediately flushed a deep red. It was the same look he gave her moments before he graced her with her first actual kiss.

The sight of the blood rushing to her cheeks and the scent of her awakening arousal had his mind swimming in circles. His thought processes turned to mush the moment his name graced her lips. She unbound all of his self control, and he found himself hard pressed against her body. Her body once again stiffened at his movements, but went limp the moment his lips slammed into hers.

_What is he doing?_ She shrieked in her mind. She didn't know what to make of his sudden dominating attitude. _Sure, he was always a very dominant male, but he never pushed himself on me like this._ She tried to think of reasons for his behavior, but she quickly found herself drowning in his kiss. Her arms pulled him closer, running her fingernails down the bare skin of his back. Koga let out a shudder before deepening the kiss. His tongue darted into her mouth, drawing a quiet moan from Kagome.

The feel of his tongue in her mouth and the weight of his body pinning her to the bed brought out a side of Kagome that she didn't know existed. Her body rose from the bed, pressing herself closer to Koga, rubbing herself against him. The wolf prince's body responded by pressing back, rubbing himself between her legs, drawing another moan from her.

Koga growled into her mouth, wanting more. His body was begging to take the woman beneath him, to make her his. His hands traveled down her side, cursing the over abundance of clothing she was wearing. He slipped his hand under her shirt and trailed his clawed fingers against her skin lightly, causing her body to buck in response. His fingers moved slowly up her torso, pausing as he reached her breasts.

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat the moment his hand made contact with her bare skin. Each finger leaving a trail of fire on her skin that made the heat in her lower regions boil over. The moment his fingers grazed over her breast, she gasped. Without a second's hesitation, she pushed Koga away. _Oh my goodness…what am I doing? _She took several deep breaths the moment Koga's lips left hers. _That was close. We could have…we almost had…_She covered her face with her hands as she scooted away from Koga, completely embarrassed.

The moment Kagome pushed him away, it felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. He pulled himself off her and sat up._ Did I do something wrong? _He asked himself. He sniffed the air. _No…she definitely enjoyed it. Then why did she stop me?_ His question was answered almost as soon as he thought it.

"I'm sorry…I can't… I'm not ready." She stuttered.

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "No need to apologize." He replied, mentally cursing himself. He knew she wasn't ready, but he couldn't help himself. She made things difficult to control with the innocent movements of her body. Of course she wouldn't realize what affect they had on him. He clenched his hand into a fist and left the bed.

"Koga?" She removed her hands from her face long enough to send a worried look in his direction. She hadn't upset him had she?

"I'll be right back, Kagome." He smiled as he opened the window to her bedroom. He jumped outside, landing quietly on his feet. He needed to get away from her for a few minutes to clear his head. Her scent alone was beginning to drive him mad. How was it possible for one small woman to completely undo all of his self-control. It wasn't like he was a cub anymore, he could control his primal urges.

-oOoOo-

Koga woke up and stared up at the sky. They still had roughly an hour before sunrise, and Kagome wanted to be back in his time period before her family woke up. He stood up and stretched before making his way back into Kagome's room.

He hadn't been able to go back into her room after their little tryst. She hadn't even noticed his absence. She was fast asleep by the time he tried to reenter the room, so he took advantage of it and slept under the stars.

He smiled down at Kagome's sleeping form before slipping under the blankets next to her. He didn't want her to think he was mad at her because he hadn't returned. As far as she knew, he had been there the entire night.

"Kagome, it's time to leave." He whispered as he shook her shoulder gently. He chuckled as she snorted in her sleep, pushing his hand away from her. "Kagome…" He cooed.

"Ugh…leave me alone..."

"No chance of that sleepy head." He poked her in the side none to gently earning him a well aimed slap across the face. He rubbed his cheek wondering how she managed to do that in her sleep. _Damn she's stubborn. _He mused before getting out of the bed. With a grin, he grabbed her blanket and pulled it from the bed. He about busted out laughing when Kagome curled up into the fetal position and began whining about this being cruel and unusual punishment.

"It's what you get. I tried being nice, but no, you had to do it the hard way." Koga laughed.

Kagome growled under her breath before launching a well aimed pillow at Koga's head. "Shut up."

After a few minutes of listening to Kagome threatening to purify him while she dressed, he grabbed her by the waist and slung her over his shoulder. "If you keep this up Little Miko, your entire family will wake up."

Her mouth stopped moving instantly. "Oh…Good point." Her joyful mood deflated, leaving her with the feeling of dread. She didn't even notice when Koga hopped out the window. Koga placed her on her feet and headed to the well to give her time to say goodbye to the home she grew up in.

"Goodbye…everyone…"She whispered before walking to the well. If she didn't leave now, she would never leave. With those final words, Koga and Kagome jumped into the well.

-oOoOo-

Kikyo walked through the forest near her home village, heading towards the Bone-Eaters well. She could feel her reincarnation and the youki of the wolf that she met once before. She didn't understand why she was walking in that direction, something told her that she needed to go there and she went.

The moment she stepped into the clearing everything made perfect sense. Where the well once stood lay a pile of rubble. Her eyes widened at the sight, completely baffled. _Why would they do such a thing? _ She asked herself as she pulled her long bow from her shoulder, gripping it tightly.

The two standing at the well turned at the same time, sensing the older miko's arrival. Kagome's eyes widened in fear while Koga looked furious. He hadn't forgot what she tried to do the last time they encountered one another. He put himself between her and Kagome, determined to protect her from harm.

"What do you want?" Koga growled.

Kikyo ignored the words of the ookami and stared past him at the remains of the magical well. Her eyes darted over to her copy as she popped out from behind the youkai.

"What have you done?" Kikyo demanded.

Kagome stepped out from behind Koga, earning herself a growl. She took a deep breath and locked eyes with the older miko. Everything in her being told her to run away or at least look away, but she couldn't. She needed to grow up and be less of a weakling. Getting over her mild fear of being less than Kikyo was a good start.

"I did what needed to be done." Kagome stated bravely, wishing she brought her bow and arrows with her. Somehow in the midst of being angry with Koga, she had left them at the den.

"And what could you possibly accomplish my destroying the well?" Kikyo asked, her patience running thin. She needed to end this meeting quickly before Inuyasha caught their scents.

Kagome took another deep breath and unconsciously reached for Koga's hand for reassurance. "Making sure nobody else can travel through the well and reek havoc on my time period."

"That is not possible, from what I understand, you and Inuyasha are the only ones capable of tapping into the well's power." Kikyo was confused by the girls response. She was adept at telling the truth from the lies, and Kagome was not lying. What had happened to cause her to take such a drastic action?

Kagome shook her head. "Koga was able to go through using the jewel shards in his legs…That means that Naraku is able to use it too." She broke eye contact with Kikyo, staring down at the grass beneath her feet. "I couldn't risk him finding out and hurting my family. This was the only way to protect them."

_She's a smart girl. _The older miko snorted, hiding her respect for the girl. Despite what she did, she must realize that she can never return home. "If this was your solution, you should have stayed back in your own time where you belong. You were not born of this time, it can hold no future for you."

Koga snarled at the undead miko. Didn't she realize leaving home was probably the hardest thing Kagome has done? "Why don't you go back to Mutt-Face? Haven't you caused enough problems for Kagome?"

Kagome squeezed Koga's hand. _Kikyo has a point though, I don't belong here with these guys, but I have no choice in the matter. I was the one who broke the jewel, so it is my responsibility to put it back together. Sure Kikyo could do it, but why should she have to rectify my mistakes? By all rights, she shouldn't even be alive._ Kagome fumed. _Keep it together Kagome. You need to be stronger than this if you want to confront Naraku. If you can't face Kikyo, you have no chance of facing him._ Kagome gathered her courage and raised her head.

"You know what, Kikyo? I'm tired of listening to you talk down on me like I'm some child! You're always telling me I don't belong in this time, but look at you! You're nothing more than a walking clay pot given life through part of _my _soul. You have no right to tell me I don't belong here when it is you who doesn't belong." She snapped. "So if you don't mind, we're leaving!" She stomped forward, pulling on Koga's hand.

Little did the three of them know, they were being watched by a pair of golden eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Wow you guys! If I get reviews like that whenever I speed update, I may have to pump out chapters faster! Once again I LOVE reviews! They are what keep me going...they are like my life support, without them...my writing skills perish a painful death. Anyways now that that is out of my system...On with the story!

* * *

_When had Kagome become so brave? Had she always harbored such feelings for Kikyo?_ Inuyasha shook his head. _No, the Kagome I know would never say such hateful things. Damned that Koga! He is nothing more than a bad influence. _His thoughts flashed to the way Kagome clutched the wolf's hand. _What does he have that I don't? I don't understand…Kagome…_

The hanyou grumbled to himself from his perch in a tree that over looked the open field in which the Bone-Eaters well lay in ruins. He knew how much her family meant to her and how much it must have cost Kagome to destroy it. He couldn't help but smile. _At least she can't use the well as a scapegoat whenever she gets mad. Maybe this can be used to my advantage._

He waited until Kagome and Koga were well out of sight before he jumped from the tree branch. Silently, he padded across the forest floor, following Kikyo. She was upset by this new development and he felt the need to comfort her. What Kagome had said to her had cut her deeply.

-oOoOo-

It was nightfall before Koga and Kagome arrived back at the wolf den. They tossed the bags in the back of the cave where Koga slept and slid to the floor, exhausted from their travels. Before they had a chance to catch their breath, three very excited youkai barged in.

"Kagome-niichan!" Ginta and Hakkaku exclaimed when they laid eyes on the young miko.

Shippo threw himself at his adoptive mother and wrapped his little arms around her neck. He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled her comforting scent. He gave pause when he caught Koga's scent on Kagome. He glanced up into his mother's eyes and studied her face. Something was different about her. What had happened while the two of them were away?

Kagome hugged Shippo close. _I may have left my family back in my era, but I also have a family here. _She glanced at Ginta, Hakkaku and Shippo. They were part of her family now and she would do everything in her power to protect them.

She placed Shippo back on his feet and began rummaging through her large yellow bag. "Here they are!" She exclaimed as she pulled out a bag of cookies. "These are for you guys. I hope you like them!" She tossed the bag to the wolves and went back to shuffling the contents of her bag around. She grinned as she pulled out a large box of crayons, a notebook and a coloring book.

Shippo's eyes widened at the luxurious gifts. He hugged his presents close to his chest the moment Kagome gave them to him. "Arigato!"

Koga glanced down at the young woman with a satisfied smile on his face. Kagome was always thinking about others before herself, making her the perfect addition to his pack. Wolves took care of each other and watching her hand out gifts to two of his wolves left him feeling proud.

"Wow Kagome! These are amazing, where did you get them?" Ginta asked as he licked his fingers clean of all the crumbs.

The flash of remorse didn't go unnoticed by Koga. She plastered a fake smile on her face before answering. "My mom and I made them."

"I think that was the best thing I have ever tasted." Hakkaku complimented.

"Thank you."

Deciding it would be best to deter the conversation, he stepped forward casting a glance that his friends knew all too well. Ginta and Hakkaku scooped Shippo off the floor and left the cave. All the while, Shippo was yelling to be put down.

Koga sat beside Kagome, taking note of the salty tears that coated her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hold her to him, but he thought of a better way to get her mind off things.

"So, Onna, didn't get me anything?" He snorted.

"Huh?" Kagome wiped the dampness from her eyes and glanced over at Koga. His arms were crossed over his chest and his left eyebrow was raised into his bangs. She covered her mouth with her hand and she gasped. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I did get you something, I promise." She looked away, playing with the soft fibers of the fur beneath her. "I just wanted to wait until the right time…"

That definitely wasn't the response he was expecting, nevertheless, he was glad that she even considered buying him something. Feeling the need to continue with his charade of being put out, he spoke again. "Sure…you probably just forgot!"

What he didn't expect was her response. He fell backward as she shot to a standing position and towered over him pointing a very angry finger in his direction. "The nerve! I did too buy you something! So sue me for wanting to give it to you in a quieter atmosphere!" She gave a rather impressive growl before stomping over to her yellow bag.

He rushed to her side and pulled her angry figure away from the bag. He hadn't meant to upset her; he just wanted to get her mind off her family. Granted, he did succeed, but a little too well. He took note not to push her too far, for fear of her wrath. She was one scary woman when she was mad.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" She struggled against him with little hope of actually escaping.

Koga chuckled. "Would you calm down? I was only teasing!"

Kagome stopped struggling and looked up at his eyes. There was no anger or hurt in his eyes just the exhilaration of executing a good joke. She narrowed her eyes, "Why I ought to…" she threatened.

Koga could only smirk down at the helpless woman in his arms. She was absolutely beautiful when she was angry. He bent down and kissed her on the lips, effectively shutting her up.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, a small kitsune child and two wolves stood at the entrance to the cave, poking their heads around the corner, watching. The moment their lips made contact, the older youkai grabbed Shippo and covered his eyes and mouth. He was too young to be watching something like that. Before the kit could start complaining, Ginta and Hakkaku peeled away from the entrance, taking the child to their sleeping area where they finally released the grip on his mouth.

"What was that for?" Shippo cried the moment the wolf released him.

"Children shouldn't watch stuff like that!" Ginta explained.

Shippo shook his head. He hated how the adults always treated him like some normal child. How many children went into battle almost every other day and watched as his friends destroyed hoards of demons that were trying to kill them? How many children lost both of their parents at such a young age? He was more mature than the average youkai child and he demanded to be treated as such. Besides, it wasn't the first time he saw Kagome kiss somebody. She had kissed Inuyasha during their fight with Kaguya.

"It wasn't like they weren't doing anything I haven't seen before." Shippo crossed his arms and turned his back on his new friends.

The wolves glanced at each other before looking back down at the kit. "But who knows how far it would have gone." Hakkaku pointed out.

Ginta chimed in. "Not to mention, Koga's scent was all over Kagome-niichan."

Shippo's ear twitched. He had noticed that as well, but he didn't know what it meant. "What do you mean?" He asked curiously.

"It means, Kagome just might become Koga's mate in the very near future." Ginta replied, hoping he didn't have to explain the terminology of being somebody's mate.

Shippo rubbed him chin. He understood what a mate was, but he still didn't get why he couldn't watch whatever it was they were doing. To him, it looked like Kagome was ready to purify Koga. It was always fun watching Kagome get mad at others, especially Inuyasha. That made him stop and think. What would Inuyasha think about Kagome and Koga becoming mates? _I bet he'd be furious! Even though he was always two-timing her with Kikyo, I'm sure Inuyasha would have wanted her as a mate. I mean look at her. She's beautiful and powerful as well. _

-oOoOo-

After calming Kagome down, Koga took her out of the cave system and was walking her through the rest of his territory. If she was going to be staying here permanently, she needed to learn the borders. Then again he didn't want her out here without at least him or one of wolves with her. These were dangerous times and Naraku has proven more than once, he deemed Kagome a threat.

Kagome veered away from the path they were walking on to stand on a ledge that over looked the waterfall and the cave system in which they lived. The bright full moon lingered overhead casting its silver light upon Kagome's raven hair. He couldn't help but stare at the beauty of her. Never in his long life had he laid eyes on a more prominent woman. He knew his pack looked down on him since Kagome was a mortal, but he didn't mind. He knew they would change their minds the moment they really took their time to get to know her. She was charming, kind, and loyal. There was far more to her than that, but he didn't want to stand all night listing off all of her good qualities. It all boiled down to one thing. She would be his, and this time, Mutt-Face wasn't here to get in the way. He burned his bridges long ago and there was no rebuilding. Inuyasha had hurt her for the last time; he would make sure of it.

He was drawn from his reflections when Kagome turned around to face him. She held her hand out, beckoning him to join her on the ledge. He took her hand in his and stood beside her, overlooking his territory. It felt right, standing here with her under the moonlight. His eyes traveled down Kagome's figure and came to rest on her other hand. He hadn't noticed it before, but she was holding something in her hand.

Feeling his gaze upon her, she looked up at him, meeting his cerulean eyes. She felt her heart beat faster at the sight of him. His ebony hair seemed to glow under the light of the moon and his eyes radiated love and happiness. How had she missed it before? Had he always been this gorgeous? She smiled up at him, and for the first time since she left her family behind, she felt truly happy. Kikyo was wrong; she could make a future here. Here with Koga, she felt as if she belonged. She didn't feel like the helpless damsel in distress, she felt like an equal.

She squeezed the necklace she purchased for Koga in the palm of her hand. The time couldn't be more perfect than here under the full moon. She pulled her hand from Koga's grasp and brushed his bangs from his eyes. She smiled when he leaned into her hand, taking in her scent.

"I have something for you." She whispered, afraid her voice would shatter this breathtaking moment. She held out the necklace and held it before his eyes.

Koga's fingers brushed over the pendant, admiring the intricacy of the artwork. He glanced at her, taking note of the nervousness mingling with her scent. She was nervous, afraid he may not like it. How he could _not_ like should be the question running through her mind. "It's wonderful, Kagome."

Her eyes light up. "Really?"

Ne nodded his head. "Of course." He turned around and knelt before her, giving her access to his neck.

Taking the hint, she placed the necklace around Koga's neck. One it was clasped, she knelt behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck gently. "Thank you Koga. For everything. I couldn't have come this far without you." She whispered into his ear as she placed her chin on his shoulder.

He didn't respond right away. He turned his head to look down at her soft brown eyes. There was no lie in her eyes, only complete honesty. He shifted around so he was facing her. His fingers brushed her cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth; her scent sent him over the edge. In that moment he knew he truly loved Kagome. It was no longer the infatuation he felt before, but honest to kami love. He would give her the world and protect her with his life. She was his mate. Even though they had not shared their bodies, their hearts beat as one.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Have I ever said how much I love you guys? Oh, and don't fret KagomesDarkHeart, I don't plan on discontinuing this story anytime soon, so you don't have to worry about gathering an army to hunt me down . I am having a whole lot of fun writing this and I am enjoying all of the positive feedback I have been receiving. And just for you guys….there is a hint at some lime action in this chapter! *blushes* Forgive me if it's a bit shaky, I'm not the best at writing sexually explicit material. Enjoy!

-oOoOo-

_She moaned underneath the well-muscled man above her, arching her body to meet his halfway. His long ebony hair, free from its bonds, cascaded over her face providing them with a small curtain of privacy. Her long nails scraped down his back as his mouth suckled and nipped at her neck and earlobe. The muscles in her lower abdomen clenched, sending waves of pleasure through her body. With each brush of his lips she moaned his name, begging him to do something about the fire that was building between her legs. If something wasn't done, surely she would spontaneously combust where she lay. _

_She whimpered in protest as he slid to the side of her, his mouth ceasing to nibble at her neck. No, he can't stop, not now! She screamed in her mind. Too busy worrying about why he had stopped, she failed to notice his clawed fingers sneak past her skirt. She let out a strangled cry the moment he brushed against the sensitive skin of her folds. _

_She tilted her head and locked eyes with the icy blues of her lover. He gazed down at her with a cocky grin on his face. He brought his lips down upon hers the moment his finger slid inside her, swallowing her scream of pleasure. _

Kagome shot to a sitting position, her hand clenching her chest as she gasped for air. Her heart was fluttering and her lower regions were tight and wet with a pleasure she never knew existed. Sure, she knew the principles of sex and what came with it, everyone from her time did, but the feeling coursing through her body was extraordinary. _Who was the man in my dreams?_ She glanced around the small cave opening and her eyes paused on the sleeping ookami prince. Her body clenched at the sight of his bare chest and the length of his raven hair. _Oh my goodness!_ She shook her head in disbelief. _How is that possible? I never even had dreams like that about Inuyasha! _She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed about the contents of her dream. She shook her head, trying to erase the erotic images from her mind, only to have them overcome her once more.

"Ugh…I need a cold shower…" She grumbled under her breath as she tossed her blanket aside.

The cool night air did wonders to help clear the young miko's mind. She shivered as she stripped off her clothes and slipped into the cool waters below the waterfall. It was far too cold to be bathing in considering the hot springs was only a five minute walk from where she was, but she needed to shock the images from her mind, and cool the heat in her body.

Back in the cave, Koga stirred in his sleep, his nose picking up the fragrant scent of a woman's arousal. Rolling over, he glanced over at Kagome's sleeping area. He wasn't sure what surprised him more, the heavy scent of her arousal, or the fact she wasn't in bed. He knew she was safe here with his pack, but he couldn't help but think something had happened to her. Had one of his younger wolves lost control of his urges and forced himself upon her? He growled at the thought of another man touching his woman.

He pushed the furs aside and followed Kagome's scent. She couldn't have gone too far since her scent was still strong. He followed it down the side of the cliff to the base of the waterfall. The thing that caught her attention was the disheveled pile of clothes sitting in a pile on the shore, but she was nowhere to be seen. It was unusual for her to leave her clothes like this. She always kept her clothing neat and folded. He wanted to snarl, and tear the entire den apart looking for her, because wherever she was she was without her clothing. Nobody was allowed to glance at the innocent beauty of his woman, nobody but him.

Kagome's lungs screamed for air. With a silent groan, she made her way to the surface of the water, taking in large gulps of the clean, crisp air. She gasped in surprise as the sound of her name hit her ears. Her head snapped over to the shore where Koga stood clothed only in his fur wrappings. His hands clenched into fists at his sides and his lip was drawn back just enough to the the tips of his fangs. The look in his eye was anything but friendly. Instantly she thought there may have been a youkai standing behind her, ready to eat her brains. She looked over her shoulder. Nope…nothing there. _Wait, is he looking at me?_

Not worried about him seeing her, she raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

Koga let out a shaky breath. Everything was fine now that he knew she was safe and untouched. His nails bit into the palm of his hand as he tried to reign in his emotions. As a youkai, he had better control over his emotions, but the thought of somebody harming his mate had unraveled all of his hard earned control.

"No, just taking a walk." He lied as he turned to head back into the caves. He paused after a few steps, turning his head to glance back at her. "Why are you out here this late?"

Kagome's face flushed a deep red as flashes of her dream fluttered to the front of her mind. "No reason…I was hot so I decided to cool off…" Well, it wasn't a complete lie. Her body had felt like it had been rolled around in hot coals. She just didn't want to tell him the real reasons for her need to bathe.

Koga smirked. _Hot indeed, my little miko._ Her scent told him everything, there was no hiding her arousal from him no matter how long she bathed. The scent of it clung the the very clothing she had been wearing and the blankets she covered herself with. Of course he wouldn't tell her that. She would come to him when she was ready.

He waved his hand at her as he continued his walk back to the cave. "Don't stay in there too long, don't want you getting sick." Kagome nodded her head and waited for Koga to be out of seeing distance before she pulled herself from the icy waters.

-oOoOo-

By the time the sun peeked over the horizon, Kagome lay shivering in her blankets, sneezing hard enough that she was afraid she pulled something. She wiped her nose before groaning audibly. How stupid could she be? Swimming in icy cold waters when the night air was chilly. Even a small child would know better, yet again she didn't think a child would experience what she had felt last night. She muttered a thank you to Shippo as he handed her a bottle of cold medicine she packed.

"What is that?" Koga asked curiously wondering how something so small and tiny could make his Kagome feel better.

"It's a tablet that will help make my cold go away faster. It's not much different than the herbs you guys use, it's just in a different form and more effective." Kagome explained as she took a glass of water from Shippo. It was nice having the little fox around to help with things like this. He was able to explain things to Koga and the others more efficiently than she could and for that she was thankful. After taking the pill, she laid back down and closed her eyes.

Koga studied Kagome as she drifted in and out of sleep. He felt bad that she ended up in this condition. It never would have happened if he hadn't made the comment about her getting sick. He reached out and placed his hand over her forehead, checking for a fever. He didn't know the human anatomy very well, but he knew they were more fragile than any youkai. Thankfully, she wasn't running a high fever and she didn't have the smell of someone who's life was in danger. He took a deep breath and relaxed as the kitsune administered cold rags to keep her body temperature down.

Shippo glanced up at the prince and smiled. He wasn't used to this kind of treatment. Not once since he had been in the wolf's company had he treated him with any disrespect. Unlike Inuyasha who was always hitting him on the head and stealing his food. He couldn't help but smile. Koga also treated Kagome like a princess, the way she deserved to be treated. She wasn't just some woman that could detect jewel shards. She was a powerful miko and she should be treated as such.

"What are you looking at kid?" Koga asked as he scratched the back of his head.

The kit shook his head. "Nothing." He finished with Kagome and made his way to find the two wolves that had quickly become like big brothers to him. Kagome wasn't in any danger so there was no need to hover. Besides, Kagome could use some alone time with Koga.

-oOoOo-

It wasn't until the sun had set that Kagome found herself awake again. She removed the damp cloth from her forehead and glanced around the cave. Much to her disdain, it was empty. How long had it been since she woke up alone? She shook her head. _No, this is different. Koga isn't off gallivanting around with another woman. _She gasped at the thought and covered her mouth. _Did I just think that? Does this mean I actually _like _Koga? I mean he is gorgeous, protective and he treats me way better than Inuyasha ever did. It's like he goes out of his way to make me feel special. _Hentai thoughts began surfacing and Kagome found herself blushing.

Koga chose that time to reenter the cave. His eyes fell of the extremely red-faced Kagome and immediately thought she was severely ill. He had never seen her face turn such a deep red, surely it couldn't be healthy. He rushed to her side and dropped to her knees. He placed the back of his hand across her forehead and his eyes widened. She was scorching hot.

"Kagome? Kagome, are you alright?" He asked frantically.

She envisioned Koga without his armor, towering over her with his knees resting on the ground between her legs, his mouth working the sensitive spot on her neck.

"Kagome?"

Her glazed over eyes cleared and she looked at Koga in surprise. She scrambled away from his cool touch and avoided eye contact. "K-Koga…I-I'm fine. Sorry…I think I need another cold bath…" She mumbled the last part under her breath, forgetting that Koga had fine hearing.

Finally understanding the reason to her suddenly heated skin, he stood up and smirked down at her causing her to squirm under her blanket. What he would give to listen to her thoughts for five minutes. What could she be possibly be thinking about to cause such a reaction?

"If you're up for it, dinner is ready." Koga let his eyes trail over her body, admiring her supple curves and the ivory color of her skin. Her peach lips called to him, begging to be kissed and nipped at. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of images of the two of them naked together on his pile of furs.

It wasn't until then that she realized she no longer felt sick. Between the pills and the super long nap, she seemed to have nipped the cold in the butt before it could fully take hold. _See how easy life can be when you have a man taking care of you instead of berating you for being a weak pathetic ningen. _She told herself. It was true, she wasn't used to this treatment and it seemed to be doing wonders for her health. Well, all except taking long cold baths in icy waters. That may not be healthy, but it kept her from doing things that would probably have Koga running the other direction. _I mean who would want me? _She looked down at her pajamas. _I'm not that attractive, my hair is a mess all the time, and I'm the world biggest klutz. Compared to Kikyo, I'm the ugly duckling. _She shuddered at the dead woman's name wishing that thought never crossed her mind. She was done with comparing herself to that woman. Never again would she have to compete with Kikyo for Inuyasha's affections. She glanced up at Koga_. He holds my heart now whether he realizes it or not. It's amazing how quickly my heart healed. At first I thought it was bad to have feeling for Koga so soon after my breakup with Inuyasha, but now I don't. If it weren't for him who knows where I would have ended up._

Kagome pulled herself from her musings and smiled up at Koga, her mind no longer thinking of anything perverted. "I'm starving, let's eat."

-oOoOo-

A/N: Ok, I know this is a short chapter, but since I post so often I don't think it's too bad, besides I think this one ended well, and I gave you guys a bit of fluff to keep you sated until next chapter…opps don't want to give anything away. *covers mouth*

~Kana~


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I just want to give you guys a word of warning. I'm not a 100% sure of how Ayame would honestly react to something like this and since she only makes an appearance in like 3-4 episodes, I'm just going with what works best with this story. I apologize if this offends anybody!

On a happier note…beware of lemony goodness!

-oOoOo-

In darkness she sat, contemplating the chances of her success. Everything would ride on the miko's tendency to help all in danger. She shook her head, something seemed wrong, should she really trust the words of the hanyou? Should she really go through with this plan to steal _her _Koga back? Ayame gnashed her teeth together and growled. Of course this would work. Koga promised her marriage, and she was going to hold him to that promise if it was the last thing she did. It wasn't only for that reason. The elders forbade the ookami to mate with humans, Koga was not exempt from that rule.

The young wolf rose to her feet and made her way through the large mansion, following the scent of the kumo. She detested his scent, but she would suffer through anything to get Koga back. She slid the door open, her eyes instantly scouting the room for dangers. She found Naraku kneeling beside a window overlooking the garden.

Naraku's eyes flickered towards the door, eyeing Ayame expectantly. She was taking longer to come to her decision than he felt comfortable with. The longer she debated the higher the chances she would see through his rouse.

"Have you reached your decision?" He asked coolly.

She nodded her head hesitantly. Ayame still wasn't sure this was the right way to go about it, but it was better than anything she could come up with. Killing Kagome had crossed her mind, but if Koga was as infatuated with the miko as he looked, he would certainly have her head on a stick.

"Perfect. You know what you must do." He couldn't suppress the devious smirk that appeared on his face. He watched as the ookami turned on her heel. _This will be perfect. _He slid the window open, whistling for his newest incarnations. Within seconds, Byakuya appeared in the room. "It is time." Was all he said since his incarnation knew exactly what was being asked of him.

-oOoOo-

"Koga!" Kagome screamed as she tripped over a tree root. She glanced over her shoulder to see the large dog-like demon approaching quickly. She swallowed hard, knowing there was no way for her to escape the youkai, since once again she had forgotten her bow. Thankfully though, she hadn't wandered too far from the wolf den and Koga was sure to hear her screams.

As the youkai approached she scrambled to her feet. _Where is Koga?_ She asked herself as she began to run once more. _Why is it, no matter where I go, youkai think I am something appetizing? Do priestesses really taste that good? _She screamed for Koga once more before she felt the youkai's teeth snap inches behind her. Every instinct she possessed told her to run, but the nagging urge to look behind her won. She turned her head to see just how close the youkai was. It's jowls were drawn back to show two rows of deadly teeth. Too make it worse, the youkai was making another lunge at her face.

Her hands shot up to protect her face moments before the dog's teeth would clamp over her head. With an ear piercing scream, a flash of pink miko energy exploded from her body, bathing the youkai in it's purification power.

Feeling a surge of energy and the screams of Kagome, Koga ran as fast as his jewel empowered legs could carry him. _I told her not to venture too far from the den! Damnit!_ Spotting Kagome, sitting on the ground looking disheveled and terrified, he skidded to a halt.

He approached her slowly with his hand out in front of him. "Kagome?" Her body pulsated a light pink and he drew his hand away from her before she could purify him. "Gah…" He looked down at the scorched skin on his finger tips. "Kagome it's only me…Koga…"

Kagome's eyes refocused when she realized she wasn't dead. Bringing her hands closer to her face for inspection, she realized she didn't even have a scratch on her. _What happened? Last thing I remember, I was about to be eaten by a oversized hound._ She looked in front of her where the ashes of a youkai sat in a neat pile. _Did I do that?_

"Kagome?"

Her head snapped to the left to see Koga standing there with a worried look on his face. She frowned. He didn't look right with a frown. His cocky grin suited him much better in her eyes. She glanced at the pile of ash then back to Koga.

"Did you do that?" She pointed to the remains.

At the sound of Kagome's voice, Koga's shoulders lifted and his tail twitched. "No, Kagome, you did that."

"How is that possible? I don't have my bow." Her mouth hung open in surprise. She knew she lacked a lot of training with her miko powers, but she'd never done anything like that. She glanced down at her hands, realizing a trace of her powers were still running through them. Her thoughts drifted back to her first day in the Sengoku Jidai and her encounter with Mistress Centipede. Power had erupted from her hands before, but it was never enough to do more than shock her opponent.

"I don't know, whatever was after you was dead before I got here." He offered Kagome his hand to help her stand. She reached up and took his hand only to have him withdraw immediately. "Damn…"

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" Kagome apologized as she forced her powers to dormancy. She rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around Koga. "I didn't mean to!"

He chuckled lightly. "Of course you didn't mean too." He gave her a quick squeeze before pulling her out to arms length. His eyes scanned her body up an down, looking for scraps and bruises. He knew how clumsy his woman was and she was bound to have some form of minor injury. He sniffed the air around her and shook his head in shock. Not a single scratch.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she fidgeted under his intense gaze.

"Checking you for injuries. You're the biggest klutz I know." He smirked.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" She denied knowing full well he was telling the truth. She could find something to trip over on an flat surface with no obstacles.

"Hmm…that's strange. Not a scratch." He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you're getting better!"

She put her hands on her hips. "Of course I didn't get scratched! I'm better than that!" She took a step forward to poke him with her finger only to trip over a small rock. She landed face first on Koga's armor. "Don't. Say. A. Word."

He held his tongue, but couldn't refrain from bursting into a fit of laughter. He patted Kagome on the head. "If you're ready, let's get back to the den before it gets dark." He glanced up at the sun as it made its way towards the horizon.

-oOoOo-

Moonlight bathed the wolf territory as the remains of the pack gathered around a large fire. Pieces of boar meat were being passed around still raw and bleeding, The women served their mates glasses of sake, while the children played at a safe distance from the fire.

Kagome was unsure of the occasion, but nevertheless, she enjoyed herself. She sat in the middle of a small group of unmated females gossiping about which male they would prefer for their mates. Much too Kagome's surprise there were several woman who wanted to mate with Ginta and Hakkaku. She glanced over to where her two friends were knocking back sake and making a lot of noise with Koga.

"Ne, Kagome, is it true that you and Koga are planning on mating?" Haru asked with a nudge of her elbow.

"Eh?" Kagome's face turned red. "Um…I mean, I like Koga and all, but I don't think I'm ready for something like that…"

She sniffed the air around Kagome. "His scent is already all over you! Why would you let a male scent mark you unless you plan on mating with them? Humans are so weird."

Kagome pushed the nosy female away with a gentle shove of her hand. "Of course his scent is on me! I ride on his back when we travel!" She defended herself while her mind wondered to her last night at her family's shrine. The way his body hovered over hers, the taste of his mouth and the feel of his hand running up her stomach.

Haru raised a curious eyebrow as she gently sniffed the air. It was painstakingly obvious how much the miko wanted their prince. Whenever they were near each other, their aura's spike and their eyes light up. If they didn't mate soon, they were going to drive the rest of the unmated males insane. The pheromones Kagome were putting off were potent enough that some of the females were picking up on it.

Haru poked Kagome on the nose. "No need to deny it, you want him. Don't shake your head at me missy, your scent doesn't lie."

Kagome gasped as she brought a small hand to cover her mouth. _I forgot about their super sense of smell! Oh Kami…Does that mean Koga already knows I'm attracted to him? No…that's not possible, he would have tried to make a move already like a normal male._

"How long you plan on making him wait?"

"Uh…I…I'm too scared to have…to do _that!"_ Kagome admitted with her head down in embarrassment.

Haru covered a giggle with the back of her hand. "There is nothing to be afraid of. Sure, it's supposed to hurt the first time, but after that it's smooth sailing. Well…that is what my sister tells me. I could have her come over here and give you some pointers!"

"NO! I mean…no thank you, Haru-chan. I appreciate it and everything, but that is too embarrassing." Kagome ran her fingers through her hair nervously. "I guess the big reason is that I recently broke up with a guy…I always thought he'd be the one, but I was wrong. What if I'm wrong about this one too? Once I commit to somebody like that there is no turning back."

The young ookami nodded, " I see now. I guess that makes sense, but then again us ookami youkai love differently than humans do. We know right away if a woman or male is perfect for us. With the way Koga treats you, I'd say he's already picked his mate."

Kagome's eyebrows shot up into her bangs. "You mean he already sees me as his mate? But we've never…I thought you couldn't be somebody's mate until you…" Her voice trailed off.

"It doesn't always work like that, Kagome-chan."

Kagome took in a deep breath in an attempt to get her brain to stop spinning. This was all too much for her to handle at once. Sure, she thought about doing _that_ with Koga, but she never thought thinking about it would let everybody in the area know what was going through her mind.

She glanced at her new female friend Haru. She was different from Sango, but then again, nobody could take her place. Taking a closer look at the ookami, something tugged at the back of her mind. There was something about this girl that reminded her of somebody but she couldn't pinpoint who that was. Her hair was almost the same color as Shippo's only a few shades darker and her dark green eyes stood out. She wore the typical brown furs of the eastern wolf tribe and wore a black chest plate.

"You know, Haru-chan, you remind me of somebody, but I can't place it." Kagome pointed out as she held her pointer finger against her chin.

Haru laughed. "I get that a lot actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I look almost identical to my cousin, Ayame. The only difference is the eye color. Mine are dark green while hers are much brighter, much like the kitsune child that you take care of."

Kagome felt her heart skip several beats as she gasped. Ayame…_I forgot about her! Oh Kami, what am I going to do? She thinks her and Koga are going to be mates as soon as Naraku is dead._

"Kagome-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you feeling alright? You look pale…are you ill?" Haru asked.

Kagome nodded her head slightly. "You could say that…excuse me." She pushed herself to her feet and made her way into the caves, away from the crowd. Once in her and Koga's area, she slid down the wall and buried her face into her hands. _How could I be so stupid! Gah! Why can't I find a guy who doesn't have another woman running around? Koga may not have shown interest in Ayame, but she was dead set on marrying him last I saw her. I really don't feel up to dealing with this…_

Footsteps coming down the tunnel caused her to unbury her face. Koga stepped into the room. Kagome's heart lifted and she forced a smile.

"What's the matter? Haru told me you looked ill." Koga asked as he sat beside her, taking in her scent.

"No, I'm not sick. I just thought of something and its been bothering me."

Koga raised an eyebrow. He motioned for her to continue and she sighed.

"Well you know the history between Inuyasha and I right? Well, Haru-chan made me think of something. What will Ayame say if she sees me here? I don't want to deal with something like that again…I couldn't take it." Kagome confessed.

Koga scooped up her small hands. "Kagome, you don't have to worry about that. When I said I would make you my mate, I meant it. You are the only woman for me, and don't forget, wolves mate for life."

"Koga…" Kagome stared up into his bright blue eyes and felt herself begin to tear up.

"Don't cry, Little Miko." Koga whispered before claiming her lips as his own. His tongue darted into her mouth, basking in the luxurious sweet taste of Kagome. He didn't understand why Kagome was so worried about Ayame when he was sure that he made it clear that she was the only one for him. There had to be a way to prove his loyalty to her.

Kagome couldn't stop the moan that escaped her throat the moment his lips touched hers. She felt all of her worries and fears slip away the longer their bodies stayed connected. It amazed her that Koga's body had this strong of an effect on her mind and body. Even in her dreams, his power over her was astounding. She should have been scared that somebody could have that kind of power over her, but she couldn't bring herself to be scared of him. He meant the world to her, he protected her from their enemies and he made sure she had everything she could need.

She melded her body against the hardness of his armor, wishing that he would take it off. It inhibited her movements. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him closer. Her fingers worked the band in his hair until it came free, sending his long dark hair across his shoulders.

Feeling the stirrings of her arousal, Koga purred. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist as he lifted her from the cold stone floor. His eyes widened in surprise when Kagome's legs wrapped around his waist, putting herself right above his manhood. He moaned the second her body brushed against it.

Kagome grabbed a handful of his thick hair as her body rubbed against the stiffness of Koga. The erotic feel of their bodies touching intimately sent her mind reeling back to the dreams of her and Koga. Instead of pushing them away, she found herself wondering if that was really how it felt. Kagome pressed herself closer to Koga and let out a moan the moment the trickles of ecstasy ran through her body.

Unable to take the torture, Koga laid Kagome on his pile of furs and stared down at the glazed eyes of his woman. She stared up at him with complete trust in her eyes.

"I can prove to you, that I want you and not her." He lowered his mouth so he breathed in her ear. His fingers brushed across her stomach, trailing down towards warmer places. He couldn't' help but smile when her body bucked in response to his touch. He paused the moment his fingers brushed against her warmth, waiting for her to stop him.

Kagome gasped the moment his fingers touched her _there_. The waves of pleasure were far superior to that of her imagination and she couldn't help but rub herself against his fingers, wanting him to continue their work. Somewhere among her thoughts of pleasure, she managed to speak. "Prove it."

She didn't have to say it twice. Without further delay, he ripped her skirt from her body along with the strange fabric covering her womanhood. She would probably be angry at him later, but he would think about that later. His mouth took hers the moment his fingers slipped inside her body. Much to his pleasure, she screamed into his mouth and bucked in response. He flicked this clawed finger carefully over her sweet spot, forcing mews and whimpers of enjoyment from Kagome.

Kagome was overwhelmed with the sensations that were flooding her system. It wasn't until Koga stopped, that she realized he had taken off his armor and the fur wrappings around his waist. She wanted to be embarrassed, but she couldn't get past the utter beauty of his flawless body. Her eyes narrowed over his manhood and she swallowed hard. There was no way something that big would fit!

"Take you're shirt off Kagome." Koga ordered, his voice a little deeper than normal.

She sat up and pulled the shirt over her head and unsnapped her bra. She wanted to cover her exposed body, but the look on Koga's face kept her utterly still. He was looking at her with a predatory look in his eyes. He was no longer the playful wolf she had grown used to. She saw his blue eyes flash red moments before his mouth reclaimed hers in an urgency that made her whimper.

Koga fed at Kagome's mouth with a hunger he didn't know he possessed. The moment her body was completely bared, he couldn't stop himself. He knew now that even if she told him to stop, he wouldn't be able to. He was beyond the point of no return. Kagome was his. He continued to work her mouth while he spread Kagome's legs with his hands, placing himself at her entrance. He heard her whimper, but that didn't stop him. With a single thrust, he buried himself inside her tight walls.

Kagome screamed into his mouth the moment he entered her. Never had she felt something so painful in her life. Koga stayed still while she adjusted to his size, but soon enough he was moving again slowly at first, but quickly picking up the pace.

After a while the pain subsided and she was filled to the brim with a pressure that needed to be released. She felt like she was going to burst. She screamed Koga's name continually as he slammed inside her, causing the pressure to reach the bursting point. Her scream echoed off the walls the moment the pressure released and her body convulsed with orgasm.

With one final thrust Koga felt an orgasm come over his body, sending his seed deep within her body. He closed his eyes and forced his youki into his seed, coating her womb in his power, marking her forever his. Nothing could take her away from him, not even time itself.

He pulled himself from her body and rolled to the side. She rolled over and laid curled into the crook of his arm, resting her head on his chest. He placed a kiss on the crown of her head. "Mine."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: A couple of you guys are afraid of what Ayame is up too and you should be! Bwuahahaha. Sorry, too much sugar…and on with the chapter!

-oOoOo-

Shippo sat before the small cooking fire while Kagome busied herself with making breakfast. Something was different about Kagome. Not only did she smell different, she was acting different. She was holding herself higher and even humming a gentle tune as she cooked. It was strange since Kagome was normally anything but a morning person. She even managed to wake up before Koga which was unusual.

Shippo turned his head towards the cave when he caught the scent of his two new brothers. "Ohayo!" He called as they stumbled from the cave wiping the sleep from their eyes.

"Ohayo." They grumbled in unison as they sat down beside the young fox.

Kagome walked in front of them as she dug in her bag for a stirring spoon. A breeze fluttered through the small gathering, blowing Kagome's hair in the wolves' faces. Their eyes widened as her scent hit their noses.

"K-Kagome?" Ginta stuttered as he brushed the miko's hair from his nose.

She turned around to see her hair plastered to their faces and quickly apologized. "Sorry!" She moved to the other side of the fire.

"Did you smell that too?" Hakkaku asked Ginta. The other wolf nodded his response. Both of them smiled and looked over at their official princess.

Shippo scurried over to sit on Hakkaku's shoulder and began whispering in his ear so Kagome couldn't hear him. "What do you smell? I noticed it too, but I don't know what it means."

Hakkaku looked at the kit on his shoulder and grinned. "It means that Koga has finally took a mate."

Shippo couldn't control the look of surprise and confusion that took over his face. He knew what a mate meant, his parents were mated, but he still didn't understand the basics of it. How would that change her base scent? He sniffed the air, carefully filtering through all of the scents. It wasn't hard to find Kagome, but now that he concentrated he could also smell Koga in her. He was used to smelling Koga on her clothing and skin, but this was different. It was as if his scent had become a part of her.

Being the curious child he was, he decided to ask. "So Koga and Kagome are mates now, I get that, but how does that change how she smells…?"

Ginta and Hakkaku exchanged looks before looking at the oblivious child. Ginta was first to speak. "I'll explain it when you're older."

"Why does everybody always say that? It's not fair!" Shippo whined as he balled his tiny hands in to fists.

Kagome, completely oblivious of the conversation around her began spooning out bowls of food for everybody. It wasn't until she felt Shippo's aura flare did she realize something was going on. Why was her little Shippo angry? She looked up from the pot of stew she was brewing to see apprehensive looks of both of the wolves and a very angry one on Shippo. She set the bowl down and walked over to her friends and scooped Shippo into her arms.

"What did you do to him?" She asked none too nicely. She hated it when people upset her little Shippo. Inuyasha was always like that and it infuriated her.

Ginta and Hakkaku shrunk away from the angry miko. She may be sweet and docile most of the time, but they all feared her wrath.

Ginta held his hands out in front of him. "Nothing, Kagome-niichan! He asked us something, and we think he is too young to know the answer!" He explained, hoping she would settle down.

Kagome glanced down at Shippo and raised an eyebrow. "Is that true?"

Shippo's tail flattened out as he looked away. "Yes…I only wanted to know why you smelled different. They said it was because you and Koga are mated but I still don't understand how that would make you smell different."

Kagome's face turned a dark red and she almost dropped Shippo. She shot the wolves a frantic look. They could tell? _Of course they would know. It wasn't like I was quiet last night and with their sensitive hearing, the whole pack must know by now._ _But I smell different? Oh yeah, I haven't had time to bathe yet. Maybe I should do that soon…_She placed Shippo on the ground before falling to her knees in embarrassment.

"Kagome?" Shippo called her name, worried about her health. It wasn't natural to turn that shade of red or to collapse without warning. He placed his hand against her forehead and his eyes widened. She was burning up!

The concerned voice of Shippo brought her out of her daze. "What's wrong Shippo?"

He pointed at her. "You're feverish!"

Kagome brought her hands to her face. Indeed she was burning up, but it wasn't because of a fever. She was beyond embarrassed. It was one thing for a few people to know of her adventure last night, but the entire pack? She couldn't even think about it! Oh how she wished her best friend and sister was here. She would know what to say to make her feel better.

She scrambled to finish breakfast before rushing off towards the hot springs. After stripping off her clothing, she jumped into the water.

Back in the cave, Koga was stirring from his sleep. He rolled over to place a kiss on Kagome's head only to find her missing and her side of the furs cold. _Where did she run off too?_ He strapped his armor over his chest and walked out to find his mate.

He spotted his two best friends and the fox child sitting in front of a small fire. He plopped down on the other side and scooped out his share of the food. Judging by the quantity and the quality, he knew Kagome had cooked.

He managed to eat a few bites before he became aware of three pairs of penetrating eyes on his person. He glanced up over his bowl. "What are you guys staring at?"

Shippo was first to speak. "Why does Kagome smell different?"

"Because she is my mate." He replied.

Shippo shook his head. "I know that." He pointed his thumbs at the other wolves. "They told me that, but how does that change her scent? What did you do to my Kagome?" Shippo stood from his perch, his little fox tail bristling with anger at the thought somebody hurting his mother.

Ginta and Hakkaku eyed their prince carefully, knowing full well he was straight forward with his answers. They prepared to pounce on him if he dared to explain the concept of sex to a child.

"Whoa, Kid, calm down. I didn't hurt Kagome." Koga laughed. "You see, last night when Kagome was upset I followed her and…" His voice was cut off as his two friends pounced on him, their hands covering this mouth.

Koga pushed the wolves off and glared over at them. "What the hell was that for?"

"Shippo is too young to know about that kind of stuff!" Hakkaku pleaded.

"The kids gotta learn sometime." Koga shrugged.

Shippo looked at Koga expectantly. "Tell me please! I'm old enough I swear!"

Koga grinned as he smirked to his friends. "You see kid, when a man and a woman…" Koga proceeded to explain the basics of sex and how he should only have it with a woman he loves. By the time Koga was done, Shippo was a lovely shade of green.

"That is so…so…GROSS!" Shippo yelled as he ran away to find his mother. He had to be lying, surely they hadn't done something so gross and just plain weird. His mother was smarter than that…at least he hoped she was. Something Koga said popped into his mind. He stopped running and placed his pointer finger on his chin in thought. _I guess some good could come of it. I could have a little brother or sister!_ With that thought, he decided against pestering Kagome.

Back at the hot springs, Kagome rested against a large rock, letting the heat of the water relax her sore muscles. She always knew sex was painful the first time, but she never expected to hurt when she woke up.

-oOoOo-

Perched on a low-lying branch, Ayame sat staring down at the miko who was chasing after _her_ Koga. She sniffed the air, but with the moisture lingering around the hot springs, she was unable to get a clear scent. She growled low in her throat. _Just look at her bathing in the wolves hot springs like she belongs there. I can't believe my eyes! Last time I saw her she didn't even bat an eye at Koga and now she's living here. I don't understand, what changed? Maybe I should have a chat with her dog friend. Maybe he can enlighten me further before I proceed with my plan._

She waited until Kagome was dressed and on her way back to the caves before she moved from her perch. She took in a deep breath and filtered through the large quantity of smells. It wasn't hard to catch the hanyou's scent since their were only a small handful of inu youkai left. She changed her course and headed west.

-oOoOo-

The sun was almost directly above them and Sango was utterly exhausted. Nothing beat being rudely awakened before the sun was up and walking nonstop. Not to mention being attacked by several weak youkai who wanted a piece of Inuyasha. She stared angrily at the back of Inuyasha's robes, wishing he would stop for a little bit. Her legs were on fire and her stomach was growling like a wild beast.

"Inuyasha, can we stop, please?" Sango pleaded once more, knowing her voice was falling on deaf ears.

"Keh." Was his only response as he continued walking towards the village Kaede resided in.

Sango sighed and looked over at Miroku who also look tired, but like the good monk he was, he never complained. "How do you do it, Houshi-sama?"

The monk looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Years of mental training." His eyes flickered back towards their inu friend. Things went smoother with Kagome around. He never made them walk to this extent when Kagome was with them. Yet again, she did hold a lot of power over him with the beads of subjugation. How he missed watching Inuyasha being driven face first into the dirt. "You know Inuyasha, we would be able to cover more ground if we stopped and took rest for a few minutes."

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at the violet eyed-monk. "Like that makes any sense! If we stop, we cover _less_ ground! I'm not that stupid, Miroku."

The monk sighed. "you're hopeless. The better rested our legs are the faster we can move, baka."

The hanyou stopped in his tracks, stuffing his hands into the arms of his haori. "Fine whatever." If he had to listen to them complain one more time, he was going to lose his mind. He growled under his breath. _Things just aren't the same without Kagome. She was like the glue that held us all together. _He looked over to his two human companions as they sat with their legs stretched out before them. His eyes trailed over to the love of his life as she also took a seat next to a tree. He took note of the look of exhaustion etched into her pale face. _If she was tired, how come she didn't say anything? I would have stopped the moment she was tired. Damn, I wish she would learn to open up to me a little more, tell me how she's feeling._

Kikyo felt Inuyasha's golden gaze on her. She didn't meet his eyes, she was too busy staring off towards the east. Something had happened to Kagome, her soul was practically singing with happiness. It took everything in her power to keep herself from smiling like a love-sick fool. How Kagome was able to affect the part of her soul that was in the older miko, was beyond her knowledge.

Inuyasha was originally going to give them only ten minutes to rest, but with Kikyo looking the way she was, he decided it was a good idea to break for lunch.

Just as Sango was pulling the meal from the fire, she heard a low, threatening growl come from Inuyasha.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked as he scanned the area.

"I smell wolf." He snarled.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Since I love you guys so much I'm posting a second chapter today. For a bit of warning, this chapter does a bit of jumping around between the characters. *Hands out cookies and milk*

-oOoOo-

Ayame arrived in the small clearing blowing dust and leaves everywhere as she stepped out from her whirlwind of energy. She wasn't too surprised when she was greeted with hostility. Standing before her was the red clad hanyou, holding an enormous sword.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha growled.

Ayame placed her hand on her hips defiantly and she raised a curious eyebrow at the inu. "Is that anyway to greet a lady?"

As if on queue she was approached by the monk. He scooped up her hands and dropped down to one knee. He gazed up at her with his violet eyes and began to speak. "Lovely, Ayame, would you like to…" _Thump_. His words were cut short by a very angry slayer. Embedded in his head was her oversized boomerang.

"Hentai…" She grumbled as she pulled his limp body away from the ookami. Once he was out of the line of fire she turned her attention back to the woman. "Ayame, what brings you here?"

Ayame ignored the warning growls coming from Inuyasha and walked over to Sango. She glanced around the small camp, feigning ignorance. "Where is Kagome?"

She watched Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye, not missing the snarl that erupted from his throat and the narrowing of his eyes. She noticed his hand tighten on his sword and the flexing of his muscles. It didn't come as a surprise when Inuyasha charged at her with the intent to kill. Ayame jumped to the side, barely missing the blast of energy that was released from the tip of the blade.

"What the hell?" She cursed.

"Don't fuck with me, wolf! You know where she is!" He yelled.

Sure, she knew where Kagome was, but she needed him to believe she was ignorant. If she had Inuyasha in on her plan, it was guaranteed to run smoother. Granted, she couldn't tell him everything since Naraku was also behind it, but what the mutt didn't know wouldn't hurt.

"No I don't!"

"Then why the hell are you here?" Inuyasha growled.

"Wait a second Inuyasha." Miroku interrupted as he came to his senses. "Maybe she's telling the truth. Don't forget, she still thinks her and Koga are getting married."

Tessaiga transformed back into its rusty form as Inuyasha sheathed it. Miroku did have a point. She would have came here kicking and screaming if she knew that Kagome and Koga were together. It was bad enough when Koga was just passing through, she would have lost it if she learned Kagome was staying with the wolves. Hell, he didn't even like the idea. If only there was a way to get Kagome to leave that flea-bitten wolf.

"I hate to break it to you, but Kagome is with Koga." Inuyasha sighed as he leaned against the tree, shoving his hands into his haori.

Ayame didn't need acting skills to show her complete and utter hatred of the idea. Her eyes narrowed at the thought and she balled her hands. "Why?"

It was Sango that replied. "Because a certain somebody was unfaithful to Kagome and she caught them red-handed." Ayame noticed the sharpness in the slayers voice. She wasn't happy that Kagome was gone from their group.

"Is that true, Inuyasha?" Ayame asked without judgment. She needed to know because this was different than what Naraku told her. According to Naraku, Kagome left because she chose Koga, not because she was cheated on. She retrained the urge to grab her hair and scream in frustration.

Inuyasha looked down at Kikyo, who was looking at him with narrow eyes. He would need to be careful how he chose his words. "I wasn't unfaithful! My heart belongs to Kikyo." He pointed to the miko sitting against the tree.

Ayame raised an eyebrow. That didn't make sense. Last time they saw each other, Inuyasha was jumping Koga's case for trying to steal _his_ Kagome. _What the hell is going on here? Apparently I missed something._ The young wolf looked over at the miko and took in her scent. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as the scent of graveyard soil and death hit her nose. How was this possible? This woman is dead and yet she still roams the earth? Did Inuyasha actually chose a dead woman over a live one? She sighed, she really had missed something, and it was important.

-oOoOo-

Naraku sat in the corner of a large room in his shiro looking out the window. The images in Kanna's mirror irritated him. Why couldn't that blasted wolf just stick with the plan. By involving Inuyasha and his friends, she chanced ruining everything. He rubbed his chin. Then again, it could work out better this way. Why have a single love triangle when you can have three of them, all of them involving Kagome. How much strain can the little miko take before she snaps?

He chuckled as he turned to look in his void child's mirror once more. "Show me Kagome."

The images shifted, revealing the wolf cave system. What he saw and heard astonished him beyond his wildest day dreams. Things couldn't be more perfect. Koga and Kagome a mated pair. _If this plan works, no doubt the miko's soul will shatter to the four corners of the earth, never to be whole again._

-oOoOo-

Kagome's face never changed from the bright red of embarrassment the moment she arrived back at the caves from her bath. No matter how hard she scrubbed her skin, trying to rub Koga's scent from her body, it seemed everybody could still smell him. It was absolutely mortifying that the entire pack knew that she and Koga had sex the night before. She wanted to talk to Sango, but since she was nowhere to be seen, she went in search of Haru.

Her new friend wasn't hard to find. She was sitting with her feet dangling over the cliff near the waterfall, singing. Kagome sat beside her and kicked her feet over the edge. She leaned back, supporting her body with her hands.

"That's a pretty song." Kagome commented.

Haru stopped mid-song to look over at the miko. Her eyes widened he moment her scent reached her sensitive nose. "Um…thanks." She wanted to comment on her status in the pack, but decided against it. There had to be a reason the girl searched her out.

"My mother used to sing to me all the time. I kind of miss it." Kagome commented as she looked across the landscape, taking in the beauty of it all.

Haru smiled sadly, taking note of the sadness in her aura. Kagome missed her family and from what she could derive, there was no possible way for her to ever see them again. Being from a large family herself, she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing them again.

"I could teach it to you if you'd like." Haru offered.

Kagome's eyes brightened. "I'd love that!"

They both sat in comfortable silence until Haru chose to sing another song. The light tone of her voice carried through the cave system, bringing several normal wolves out to join them. As the joyful tune continued, Kagome found herself completely surrounded in brown fur, unsure of where one wolf started and the other ended. She couldn't help but smile. She felt safe here surrounded by fur. She pushed a large wolf out of the way and she laid back, curling into the back of another wolf.

Haru eyed Kagome as she curled up with the wolves. _She may not be youkai, but she understands the meaning of pack and family. Not many ningens understand the intricacies that are involved in such affairs. I really hope Kagome realizes that what happened last night made her one of us. Wolves mate for life._

By the time the song came to an end, Kagome had fallen asleep amongst the pile of fur. Haru stayed by her side, waiting for her to wake from her nap. She was sure the miko wouldn't sleep for long. Koga had shared his youki with her and it was bound to have some sort of effect on the miko's body. Since he was the first ookami to take a human mate, she was unsure what would happen to Kagome's body.

Sure enough, Kagome was awake within fifteen minutes of falling asleep. She stretched her cramped muscles and began pushing the wolves away so she could sit up. "You guys are officially on a diet!" She complained when she had problems moving their heavy mass.

"Need a hand?" Haru asked with a laugh.

"Please!"

After a few barks and yips from Haru, the wolves reluctantly moved from their resting place. The smallest of the wolves rose to her feet and shook out her shaggy brown fur. She eyed Haru for a moment and decided to sit beside Kagome.

Kagome looked down at the little wolf and patted her on the head gently. "Why aren't you adorable!" She squealed with excitement as her little wolf ears swiveled to the sound of her voice. Without further thought or reason Kagome reached out and rubbed the soft fur on the wolf's ears.

Haru couldn't help but laugh out loud at the miko. "Her name is Shiruku."

"What a pretty name." Kagome stroked the soft of her ears. Shiruku yipped at Kagome. "What did she say?"

"She thinks your name is prettier."

"Really? Aww, you're too cute! I wish I had a wolf" Kagome frowned, saddened by the fact that every wolf ookami had at least two wolves who followed them around.

Shiruku sat on her haunches and placed her two front paws against Kagome's chest as she licked the side of her face. The weight was too much for Kagome in her position and she ended up falling on her back, being pinned by the wolf.

"She says she'll follow you anywhere." Haru translated without being asked. There was something about the miko that drew people and animals alike to her. She gave off a pure light, one that didn't judge you on appearance or race. She treated everybody the same. Haru reached out and patted the she-wolf on the head. Shiruku was the perfect wolf for Kagome. They were both loveable and playful, not to mention they could be down right scary when provoked.

-oOoOo-

Koga stood at the top of the waterfall, looking down at his domain. Never in his life had he felt so light and worry free. He knew this feeling was only a passing thing, but he cherished it while it lasted. Naraku was still at large and he needed to pay for the crimes committed against the wolf tribe. Koga growled angrily. Naraku was a double threat now that he had mated Kagome. He knew of Naraku's hatred towards her and the other miko, the dead one. He would protect his woman and his pack with his life.

His anger died away as the sound of a woman singing reached his ears. He glanced over to the small cliff where he spotted Kagome sitting with her feet dangling over the ledge with a small brown wolf at her side. Her hand stroked the head of the wolf absently as she continued to sing. He didn't know what she was singing about since it was in a different language, but it made his heart flutter in his chest.

He stayed rooted to his spot near the waterfall as she continued to sing. He smiled down at her, noticing that she was drawing a small crowd of children.

As the song ended, Kagome turned her head to see the small gathering of youkai children, none of which were her little Shippo. She couldn't help but smile at their cuteness. She motioned for them to come closer. "I'm not going to hurt you." She didn't know why the words came from her mouth, she just got the feeling they were being apprehensive.

A little girl puffed up her chest and made her way to the front of the group. "Can you teach us?"

"The song?" Kagome inquired.

"Yes…" She looked away, no longer feeling as brave as she had a few seconds ago. Her mind flashed to the fox child. He was always hugging on Kagome and she was always hugging him back. If he liked her, she could too. She just couldn't help but be slightly afraid. Her parents told her to stay away from humans because they didn't like anything thing that was different.

"Of course I can teach you. Though I have to warn you, it may be hard since it isn't in our language." Kagome warned.

The children all exchanged looks before nodding their heads in agreement. They wanted her to teach them. "We can handle it." The little girl smiled softly. Maybe most humans are bad people, but she didn't think Kagome was a bad person. If Uncle Koga thought she was safe, than she must be. He wouldn't let anybody hurt his family.

Koga sat down and watched as the children overcame their fear of Kagome. He couldn't have been more proud of his mate. Her maternal instinct was on par with that of a female ookami. She would make a fine mother.

He stayed there in complete silence until he picked up on Ginta and Hakkaku's arrival. He glanced over his shoulder and gave them a friendly look.

"Hey Koga. Whatcha doing?" Ginta asked.

Koga pointed down to where Kagome was attempting to teach the children a song. "Amazing isn't she?"

They both nodded in agreement. Hakkaku took a seat next to his prince and watched as well. "To be honest Koga, we never thought you'd ever settle down. We're happy for you."

Ginta patted him on the back as he took a seat on Koga's other side. "You planning on adopting the kit?"

Koga glanced at Ginta. "Never really thought about it. I guess it couldn't hurt. Somebody has to look over him and since he's practically Kagome's son, it's my job to keep him safe."

"He seems to be settling in rather well." Ginta pointed out. "Not to mention it seems he's rather infatuated with Hanabi."

"You mean my cousin's daughter?"

Both of them nodded. "Yeah, She was the cause of the little riot down there. She heard Kagome singing and wanted to learn. She was too scared to go alone and to arrogant to ask Shippo. Instead she insisted on gathering a large group of kids so it wouldn't look like it was her idea. She's very clever." Hakkaku explained with a chuckle.

Koga's bangs blew in the wind, bringing an ominous feeling over his body. His muscles tensed and his head turned towards the west. Something was brewing, and it wasn't anything good. If there was one thing Koga had learned over the years, it was to trust his instincts and they were telling him of something dangerous approaching. _Something wicked this way comes…_


	19. Chapter 19

The sun had barely risen over the horizon when Kagome woke for the day. She rolled over and snuggled closer to Koga's still sleeping figure. She had been rising much earlier than normal the past few days and she was curious as to why. At first she thought it was just because of her new form of entertainment before bedtime, but she was beginning to think otherwise. Something was different with her body. She seemed to have more energy than normal and her senses seemed to be sharper than usual. She draped her arm over Koga's chest and took in his scent. He had always smelt nice, but his smell seemed more potent than before. He smelled of a forest after a spring rain, clean and crisp. Something about his scent relaxed her body and she found her eyes growing heavier. With a contented sigh, she drifted back to sleep in the comfort of her mate's closeness.

Koga's eyes opened the moment Kagome drifted back off to sleep. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms across her slender shoulders. She was already beginning to notice the effects of his mating mark and it would only be a matter of time before she asked about it. He didn't know if she would take the information well or not, considering she didn't like people making decisions for her. He didn't make a decision for her per say, but he did prove to her and to everybody else she was the one he wanted, not some ookami female from the north. It had irritated him when she came down from the mountains telling him she was to be his mate. Sure, he remembered telling her when she was a child that he would make her his, but it was only to calm her down. She had a rough day and needed something to lighten her spirits. It wasn't like he meant it, hell she had only been a child at the time.

He stared up at the ceiling. What were the elders going to say when they found out about Kagome. Surely, some of his wolves would run to them and tell them of his deeds. _Bring it on._ He smirked. They would take one look at Kagome and realized she wasn't just some normal human. Kagome had power and the heart of a wolf. Nobody in their right mind would try and banish Kagome. Besides, it they tried that now, Koga would have to go with and they couldn't afford to lose him.

Koga stayed wrapped around Kagome until he heard the small feet of a certain kitsune approaching. It wasn't until he drew closer that Koga realized the kit was running. _What's the rush?_ He thought to himself as he waited for Shippo to round the corner.

"Ka-Kagome! Koga!"

The fear in Shippo's voice was enough to draw Kagome out of her slumber. She shot to a sitting position and caught the little fox in her arms as he leaped towards her. She looked down at his fearful green eyes and felt her heart freeze. What was going on? Why was Shippo shaking with fear? Several scenarios played out in Kagome's head and none of which gave her any peace of mind.

"What's wrong Shippo?" Her question was answered when she felt a tug on her soul. Her arms tightened around Shippo as she fought the urge to scream in frustration. _Kikyo. What is she doing here? Can't she just leave me alone for pities sake?_ She looked away from Shippo and stared at the cave opening. _Could it be Inuyasha? Sango-chan said she had been traveling with them from time to time. Does that mean Inuyasha is on his way here?_ Kagome's eyes widened with the a realization of what was about to happen. If the wolves could smell the change in Kagome, Inuyasha was bound to notice. _No, this can't be happening._ She didn't regret doing what she did with Koga, she was just fearful that Inuyasha would be upset enough to actually attack her. She shook her head mentally, _No he wouldn't hurt me, no matter how pissed off he is._

Shippo struggled to get the words out. He didn't want to be the one to tell Kagome that Inuyasha was on his way with Ayame in tow. She had finally found happiness and he didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. The fox shot a desperate look towards Koga from over Kagome's shoulder, hoping he would be able to take a hint.

A tingle shot down Koga's spine. The young prince looked towards the entrance of the cave and took in a deep breath. He his tail stiffened and a low growl emanated from his throat. _Curse that damned Dog-Shit._ He knew something bad was bound to happen for a few days now, but he thought it would be Naraku, not Inuyasha. He turned his attention to Kagome's backside and caught the desperate look in Shippo's eyes. Koga gave him a knowing nod and rose to his feet.

"Kagome, stay here with Shippo." He said as he put on his armor.

Kagome rose to her feet and turned to face Koga. She looked up into his angry blue eyes and shook her head. She couldn't let him go out there and face Inuyasha alone. There had to be a reason he was here and she was going to find out what it was. It couldn't possibly be to take her back since Kikyo was with them, but Inuyasha had always been the selfish one, wanting both her and Kikyo.

"I know who's out there Koga and I'm not staying here." She refused as she placed Shippo on the ground.

"But Kagome…"

The young miko shook her head as she grabbed her bow and arrows. "I'm going." She slung her quiver of arrows over her back as she walked out of the cave and into the morning light. She scanned the area, spotting Inuyasha and the others on the edge of the wolf territory being held up by a group of ookami youkai. The tension in the air was at the boiling point and Kagome made that clear as she rushed over to hopefully aide the situation.

Koga glanced at Shippo. "This is going to get ugly fast." When Shippo agreed, Koga took off in his cyclone of youki, reaching Inuyasha and his friends before Kagome. What wasn't expecting, was to see Ayame with the group. Koga raised a brow. _What the hell?_

Koga cracked his knuckles. "Give me one reason I shouldn't gut you right here, Mutt-Face?"

Inuyasha mimicked Koga's movements. "Where is Kagome?"

"I'm right here." Kagome spoke up as she reached her destination. She noted Koga's fighting stance and calmly stepped beside him, placing her hand on his shoulder. She looked past Inuyasha and Kikyo and looked straight towards Ayame. She couldn't stop the twisting of her stomach and the increase of her heart rate. What was she doing here and why is she traveling with Inuyasha? She didn't get a chance to think things over because Inuyasha and Ayame noticed the change in Kagome's scent at the same time.

"I'll gut you, you bastard!"

"Kagome…"

Both canine youkai growled in complete and utter disgust. Kagome looked at the two of them and froze in place. She could feel the hatred coming off their aura's in waves that threatened to drown her. Her grip on her bow tightened the moment she caught a flash of red fly in their direction. She didn't get a chance to see who the hanyou was aiming his claws at because Koga pushed her away from him, sending her sprawling on the ground.

Koga raised his arms to block the attack Inuyasha had aimed at him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ayame charging at his mate. "Kagome!" Koga screamed her name in warning.

The miko looked up in time to roll out of the way of a very angry ookami female. She rose to her knees and held her bow out in front of her as Ayame took another swipe at her. Kagome didn't know what to do. Was Ayame really mad enough to try and take her life? The force of Ayame's claws snapped the bow in half and Kagome let out a fearful shriek.

Ayame snarled angrily at the sight of the weak ningen female that took Koga from her. How dare she mate him? Her eyes flashed from green to red as the scent rolling off Kagome filled her senses with hate. There was only one way for her to make Koga hers and that would require killing off the miko. Kagome would pay with her life for touching what was hers. She flexed her claws, they were demanding blood.

Koga could smell the change in Ayame. She was loosing control to her beast, she wouldn't hesitate to kill Kagome in that state. He flipped backwards out of the way of Inuyasha's overgrown sword and made an attempt to get away. He needed to protect Kagome.

"You're not getting away!" Inuyasha yelled as he released the Wind Scar.

Sensing the shift in the wind, Koga managed to move out of the way in the knick of time. He glared back at Inuyasha. "Open you're eyes, Baka. I'm not running away, I'm trying to protect MY Kagome!"

"Bastard! She doesn't belong to you!" He denied. Despite everything this nose was telling him, he refused to believe Kagome was out of his reach forever. Kagome's scream caught his attention and is ears swiveled towards the sound.

Sango, Kirara, and Miroku rushed to help Kagome. They couldn't stand by and watch as the female ookami lost control of herself.

Sango swung her large boomerang towards the crazed wolf, forcing her to back away from Kagome. Hirakotsu embedded into the ground, unable to return. "Ayame, stop this!" They slayer yelled at her new traveling companion, completely oblivious to the fact that Ayame was no longer in control.

Ayame turned her head towards the direction of the slayer and snarled. "Do not interfere!" She stalked towards Kagome. "I'll kill you for taking him."

Kagome shook her head. "Please, Ayame, stop! Don't do this!" The miko clenched her fists at her side, summoning her spiritual powers. She didn't want to harm Ayame, but if she could hold her off long enough for her to come to her senses, she would. Kagome summoned a barrier around herself, cutting off Ayame's approach.

The ookami growled as the barrier prevented her from coming any closer. She glared at the miko who had her eyes closed in concentration. Something as simple as a that couldn't keep her out for long. Ayame cracked her knuckles and began whittling away at the barrier.

With every blow that connected with her barrier, Kagome winced. She felt every blow as if Ayame was hitting her instead of her protective sphere. She wouldn't be able to keep it up for much longer, and she hoped somebody would come to her rescue. With one final blow to her barrier, Kagome's eyes opened. She glanced at Koga who was still too busy with an enraged Inuyasha, Sango didn't have her weapon, Kikyo looked pleased with the situation, and Miroku was readying his sutras. None of them would reach her in time. Ayame's deadly claws moved closer, almost in slow motion. It seemed to Kagome that time was slowing down, forcing her to watch Ayame move closer. Unable to do anything to stop the approaching danger, Kagome did the only thing she could. She screamed.

Seconds before Ayame's claws would have reached Kagome, a flash of auburn and green darted in the way. A small child's cry pierced the air and everybody froze, even Ayame stopped.

"Shippo!" Kagome's screamed as the small child lay in her lap, blood coating his blue and green outfit. Her body began to shake and tremble at the sight of her adopted son, bleeding in her lap. She reached out and brushed his auburn hair from his face. "Shippo…talk to me…"

The kit opened his eyes slowly and looked up at Kagome. "You're alright…thank goodness." He whispered before passing out.

"Shippo!" Kagome's spiritual powers began leaking from her body, changing her soft brown eyes to a raging pink. The miko placed Shippo on the ground beside her as she rose to her feet. She stared at the person responsible for hurting her son and let out an impressive growl.

The hairs on the back of Ayame's neck stood at attention as the power of the miko clashed with her aura. Immediately, her eyes changed back to their emerald green. She glanced down at the wounded kitsune. _Oh Kami, what have I done?_ Tears began to fill her eyes. She looked back to Kagome and shook her head in disbelief.

"Kagome…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…" Ayame stuttered, hoping to calm the miko down.

"You. Hurt. My. Son."

The now terrified wolf waved her hands in front of her, trying to show that she was harmless. The waves of purification rolling off the miko was causing her skin to crawl. Ayame wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run for safety, but she knew the moment she made a move to leave, Kagome would purify her. This new, more dominant Kagome had Ayame confused. Before when they had met, she was soft and gentle. Even in the midst of battle, she never lost her cool. Looking into her eyes now, Ayame saw a mother protecting her cub. Any mother in their right mind would lose their temper and control when their young were injured. Their instincts demanded retribution.

Ayame dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead against the cold earth, abasing herself before the priestess, her hair tossed over one shoulder and her neck bared. Her inner wolf snarled in protest, she was an alpha female and she didn't submit to anybody. Ayame suppressed her beast and continued to submit. No matter how upset Ayame was with Kagome for stealing her Koga, she never in her right mind would have harmed a child.

Kagome took another step forward only to be stopped by a strong hand on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder to see Koga standing there with a pained look on his face. She didn't understand the look until she looked at his hand. Where his hand touched her was burning. Immediately, she pulled away from his grasp.

Koga stared down at his mate despite the pain that was burning through his hand. It was similar to her reaction in the forest the day she was attacked, only more powerful. As impressed as he was, he needed her to stop before she did anything she would regret. Ayame had given up and acknowledged Kagome as her dominant. There was no longer the need to fight

Kagome's eyes returned to their soft brown the moment she realized she had hurt Koga. She dropped her gaze to the female abasing herself. "What did I do?" she couldn't remember how Ayame came to be at her feet or how Koga had burned his hands, all she knew was everybody was suddenly afraid of her. She could sense it in their auras. She looked out to the rest of the group to see similar looks on their faces, including Inuyasha. She looked at her hands in wonder only to see them coated in blood. Blood that wasn't hers.

"Oh Kami…Shippo!" She spun around and dropped to her knees in front of the injured kit. She pressed her fingers against his neck, checking his pulse. She let out a deep breath the moment she felt his heartbeat. It was weaker than it should be, but he was alive. She scooped him in her arms and held him tight. If he had been a normal child he would have been dead. She was glad that Shippo was more sturdy than the average child.

Inuyasha took note of her relief and let his shoulders relax. He wouldn't say anything out loud, but he worried about the little guy. His eyes flickered to Koga to see the same expression on his face. Looking at the wolf sent fresh waves of irritation and anger coursing through him. Koga had mated Kagome, something he had planned on doing eventually since Kikyo couldn't bare children.

Inuyasha pointed his fang at the ookami, not caring if he looked like an idiot. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. "Who the hell who you think you are, Wolf? Marking my Kagome like that? I ought to rip out your guts and stick 'em in a bowl!"

Kagome blinked in confusion at Inuyasha's statement. She looked over at Koga who only growled at the hanyou's question. "Koga…what does he mean?"

Inuyasha couldn't restrain the laughter that bubbled out of his mouth. This was priceless. Kagome didn't realize she was tied to Koga for as long as he lived. This was rich. "What it means, Wench, is that you are officially Koga's mate. He shared his youki with you during your consummation. You won't age a day until Flea-Bag here kicks the bucket."

Kagome's jaw dropped. "Is that true, Koga?"

"Yeah."

Inuyasha smirked as he waited for the moment when she snapped. She hated it when people did things without telling her.

"Cool! I guess that explains why I've had so much more energy lately." Kagome chirped, surprising everybody with her reaction. Her being human had been bothering her for awhile now since she was officially with Koga. She didn't think it would be fair to him to have to watch her age while he stayed the same. This solved their problems, she only wished he would have told her sooner. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I figured you would be pissed because I didn't exactly ask permission." He explained.

Everybody but Ayame, Inuyasha, and Kikyo were laughing. Shippo began to stir in Kagome's arms at the loud noise and Kagome immediately stopped laughing. "I need to take care of Shippo." She excused herself before rushing off to find her medical supplies.

Meanwhile Koga approached the still kneeling Ayame. "If you ever attempt to lay a hand on Kagome again, I'll kill you myself."

Ayame stared up at his azure eyes and swallowed hard. If only she had decided to listen to Naraku sooner, none of this would have happened. Restraining the urge to growl, she rose to her feet and took several steps away from Koga before taking off.

With her gone, Koga turned his attention to the mutt. "And you, Mutt-Face. Get it through your thick skull, Kagome is no longer yours. She is my mate and princess of the wolf tribe. You chose that woman over Kagome so you have only yourself to blame." He pointed a finger at Kikyo.

Unable to think of a snappy comeback Inuyasha turned his back to Koga, shoving his hands in his haori. "Keh! Let's go guys…this trip was a waste of time."

Miroku and Sango looked at each other and back to Koga. Sango nodded her head at her fiancé and approached the wolf. "Would it be ok if Miroku and I stayed and visited Kagome-chan?"

"Fine with me, as long as the two of them leave." He pointed to Inuyasha and Kikyo.

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "You don't have to worry about that! I can't stand the smell of you mangy wolves anyway. Let's go Kikyo!" The inu hanyou stormed off in the same direction as Ayame.

-oOoOo-

A howl of rage erupted from the shiro surrounded by miasma. Naraku glared holes into the mirror that belonged to his favorite incarnation. How stupid could the she-wolf be? If she had followed his plan, everything would have worked out in the end and Kagome would be nothing more than a broken tool. He punched a hole into the floor in anger. He would have to find a different way to break his precious Kagome, and this time he would do it with his own hands.

-oOoOo-

A/N: Phew…this chapter was tough! I did not plan on things happening like this, but once I started typing I just couldn't stop.

I've noticed a major decline in the number of reviews I've been getting and it makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. If I am don't be shy. I don't mind constructive criticism. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you next chapter!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: *Hands KagomesDarkHeart a box of cookies and a thermos of hot chocolate* I know what it's like to be snowed in and without power! Thank you for your wonderful, exciting reviews! And just as you requested, I give you another chapter! Enjoy!

-oOoOo-

Kagome leaned against the side of the cave, unwilling to leave Shippo's side as he recovered. It was her fault he had been wounded. If only she had been stronger and less of a coward, none of this would have happened. She ran her fingers though her son's auburn hair as he slept. Not only was Shippo hurt during the little exchange, Koga's hand had been burned as well. Her eyes narrowed at the thought of hurting Koga with her own powers. She desperately needed to begin training her unfocused miko abilities before she hurt any other of her youkai friends. In her current state, she was a danger to herself and her friends. _Never again. Never again will I put my friends and loved ones in that kind of danger. _

The miko was so deep in thought she failed to notice Koga enter the cave and kneel beside her. She jumped in surprise the moment his fingers brushed her bangs from her eyes. The tension in her body receded when she met cerulean eyes. She let out a sigh and leaned into his body, taking comfort in his warmth.

"I'm sorry." Kagome apologized.

Knowing what she was referring to, he nodded in response. He knew Kagome was beating herself up over what transpired only an hour before. He couldn't blame her in all honesty. Her kit had been wounded and so had her mate. He was just as upset since he had taken a fatherly role with Shippo and blamed himself for his injuries. He had been unable to break away from the mutt long enough to stop Ayame from causing harm.

"So am I Kagome. It was my fault Shippo was hurt…" He let out a low growl. "I failed to protect you…"

Kagome looked up into his pain-filled eyes and frowned. She palmed the side of his face with her small hand and ran her thumb across his skin. With her free hand, she brought Koga's hand up to eye level, taking in the extent of the damage. The skin was red and blistered despite having an hour to heal. Kagome bit the inside of her cheek.

"Let me take care of your hand."

Koga shook his hand. "There is no need, it will heal soon enough." He avoided her unhappy gaze as he looked down at the fox child. In all honesty, the wound should have already healed. He pulled his hand from Kagome and flexed his fingers, cringing slightly at the pain that surged through his hand.

The look of pain didn't go unnoticed by the miko. She rose to her feet and made her way over to her already diminishing medical supplies. Finding an ointment for burns and a fresh package of gauze, she made her way back to her mate. "Stop trying to act so tough." She said as she knelt beside him.

"Hn." He grunted as he felt the cool ointment being spread across her hand. As much as he hated to admit it, the gel felt wonderful on the hot skin of his hand. He could already feel the strange healing powers of the materials from her era.

"There, all finished." Kagome gave him one of her fake smiles as she placed his hand on his legs. Her eyes focused on Shippo, who was beginning to show signs of waking.

"Mama…" The kit muttered, his little hand searching for the comfort of touch. His body was wracked in pain, and he was frightened. Never in his short life had he felt such an overwhelming pain, and he never wanted to go through it again.

Immediately, Kagome took his tiny hand into her larger one and gave him a comforting squeeze. "It's alright Shippo. You're safe." She cooed as her other hand played with his soft hair.

"Mama…" He purred as he leaned into the comforting hand playing with his hair.

Koga sat back and watched the exchange between the two. He could feel nothing but pride for his mate. She was an amazing woman with excellent mothering skills. He could only hope to see that look when she looked upon their cubs. _As soon as Naraku is no more…then my dearest Kagome, we will have our own little family._ He smiled inwardly.

The sound of the slayer and the monk pulled Koga from his reverie. He glanced over at them and the worried expression on their faces when they looked at the condition of Shippo. "He'll be fine. He's a tough little guy." Koga comforted them. He glanced down at Shippo. "He should be back to normal in a week's time."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Really, Koga? He'll heal that fast? I mean he's so small…"

Koga nodded his head. "He may be small, but he is youkai, and a tough one at that."

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that Shippo would be up and running around with the other children so soon. She hated seeing him like this. The miko took in a deep breath and steeled her resolve. She would get stronger.

"Miroku-sama?" Kagome met the violet eyes of her friend.

"What is it Kagome-sama?"

The miko rose to her feet. "I want you to teach me to control my miko powers. I'm tired of being nothing more than a reliability." She pointed to Shippo who was still half out of it. "Look at what happens when I can't save myself. I can't do this anymore. I refuse to remain the damsel in distress. If I plan on being the princess of the Eastern Wolf Tribe, I need to be able to protect what is mine."

Koga couldn't help but look at Kagome with wide eyes. He never expected to see her so determined to become stronger. _It must have to do with Shippo getting hurt. Like a good mother, she wants to be able to protect her young from whatever danger._

Miroku couldn't help but stare at Kagome in surprise. This was the first time she has ever asked him for help. He was more than willing to help her control her miko powers, but to hear her ask him with such resolve had him floored. She had always shunned her powers to some degree because they made her seem more like Kikyo. _Kagome-sama sure has changed since the last time I laid eyes on her. She is stronger. I wonder what happened to her to cause that sort of change. Before, she was always willing to let Inuyasha save her. Not anymore, this new Kagome wants to be able to save herself._ "Of course, Kagome-sama. When you would you like to begin?"

"Immediately." She stated as she reached for her bow and arrows. She motioned for Miroku to follow her. "Oh and Sango, could you also teach me to use a sword?"

Sango blinked. "Uh…sure…no problem." The slayer looked over at Koga, asking her with his eyes what had changed her sister.

Understanding the look, he glanced down at the kit. With a nod, Sango followed after her fiancé and her sister, amazed with the change in Kagome. Needless to say, she was impressed with the changes.

-oOoOo-

The sun was hovering over the small river that sat before the inu hanyou and the undead miko. Rage flowed from both of them, both for different reasons. Inuyasha sat at the rivers' edge dangling his bare feet into the cold water, unable to make eye contact with his lover. He growled inwardly. _Lover…is that all I truly feel for her now? When had my feelings become so low? _He shook her head, flattening his ears against his skull. _Before all of this mess started I wanted Kikyo as my mate, but now…_Flashes of Kagome bombarded his thoughts. _It's too late for that path now that Koga's marked her. Damnit, why do I always have to arrive too late? _Inuyasha restrained the urge to look back at Kikyo if only to catch a glimpse of Kagome's face.

The undead priestess sat with her back resting against the thickness of a tree trunk. Her narrowed eyes glared holes into the back of Inuyasha's red robes, wishing now she hadn't consented to lying with him. Once again he had blurted out his love for her copy. When would the hanyou realize his love for Kagome all steamed from his love for her? Why couldn't he just commit himself completely? She balled her hands into fists. Dragging him into the pit of hell would be a lot easier if he didn't have any attachments to her reincarnation. It was his love for her that kept her from succeeding the first time.

The silence was broken the moment Inuyasha and Kikyo sensed the approach of a familiar youki. A large cyclone of energy made its way towards them in a hurry. For a brief moment, Inuyasha let loose a ferocious growl thinking it was Koga. The wind changed directions, bringing the scent of the youkai his direction. Immediately his growl came to a halt and a look of sympathy filled his features.

The young female ookami came to a skidding halt only feet from Inuyasha. She looked around at the remains of the group, surprised only to see the miko and the hanyou. Surely the others didn't leave him too, had they? She wanted to ask her question, but her thoughts were shattered by a deathly glare from the undead miko.

"What is your problem?" Ayame snapped at the clay pot, not in the mood for her cold-heartedness. News of Koga taking Kagome as a mate had left her feeling bitter. Her state of mind was in a fragile state and she really didn't want to rip the pretty face off the undead one in front of her lover.

"What is your business here? Haven't you caused enough troubles for one day?" Kikyo questioned, ignoring the incredulous looks she was receiving from Inuyasha.

"Why you…" Ayame growled.

Inuyasha, not liking where this was going, stepped between the warring females. _What was wrong with Kikyo? Didn't she realize Ayame has been through a lot in past couple of hours? _The scent rolling off Ayame was enough to put Inuyasha's protective instincts on the front of his mind. She was scared and upset. She needed the comfort of her pack. He knew what she needed because he needed it as well.

"Inuyasha?" Kikyo questioned the moment she heard the rumbling of his chest. This was unlike him to willingly aid somebody without the encouragement of his pack. She glanced over his shoulder at the wolf girl with narrow eyes.

"She's staying with us." Inuyasha stated as he focused his golden eyes on his miko. The moment she started to argue he snarled at her. He was alpha of this pack, not her and she needed to learn her place. _What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I suddenly acting like a possessive dog?_ He dug his claws into the palm of his hand to help calm his instincts. _Everything was much easier when Kagome was around. Everything made sense back then._

-oOoOo-

Kagome's arm shook as she crossed blades with Sango. How the slayer had as much strength as she did baffled the little miko. She stumbled back as she dropped the sword to the ground. The muscles in her arms felt like wet noodles and her legs were one fire. When she asked Sango to teach her how to use a sword, she didn't exactly envision it to be like this.

The sun was hanging directly above the makeshift training grounds and the heat of the sun was beginning to take its toll on Kagome and Sango. Sango however was used to training in this weather, coaxed her sister to pick up the sword at her feet. Wiping the sweat from her brow, the slayer charged at Kagome again, forcing her to block.

After three swings of the slayers sword, Kagome dropped her blade once again, this time collapsing to the ground in a heap. "I call a time out!" She shouted in defeat.

Miroku tossed the girls two bottle of water as he relaxed under the shade of a tree. Not that anybody could tell, but the monk was enjoying the training session. It wasn't often he got to watch his fiancé get all hot and sweaty while he was free to sit and do nothing. He continued staring until Koga's presence pulled him back to reality.

"She learns quickly." Koga commented on Kagome's sword skills. She had only been training for two hours and she was already able to fend off several of the slayers strikes before faltering.

"That's our Kagome." Miroku commented. He turned o face his new wolf companion and decided to ask what had been happening with Kagome to cause her to change her behavior so drastically.

Koga's eyes instantly sought out the soft browns of his mate. His little miko caught him staring and waved happily in his direction before returning to her conversation with the slayer. "She had to destroy the well that connected to her era."

Nothing could have prepared the monk for that bit of news. With wide eyes he glanced over to Kagome who seemed to be having a good time. How is she able to be so happy if she is completely locked away from her friends and family for the rest of her life? "Why?" Was the only logical question he could think of.

The wolf prince's unwounded hand traveled to his jewel enhanced legs and let out a sigh. "I was able to travel through the well using the power of the jewel shards, and Kagome feared that Naraku would also be able to. She was afraid for the safety of her family."

Miroku nodded his head. It was a logical train of thought. If Koga could, why couldn't Naraku. And Kami knows if Naraku knew he was able to travel through time, he would use Kagome's family against her in a heartbeat. Just look at what he did to Sango and Kohaku. The evil spider relished in forcing family members and loved ones fight against each other. The monk looked down at his right palm and narrowed his eyes. He would see Naraku destroyed. Not only to put an end to his cursed Wind Tunnel, but to fix the rift that was placed between his fiancé and Kohaku. He looked over to Kagome. _And for the loss of your family, Kagome-sama. I will do everything in my power to destroy that kumo._


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: This chapter may start off on a serious note, but trust me, this chapter is for all of you hentai readers who just want can't wait to see Koga getting down and dirty with our favorite little priestess. Yes miss requiem passion, this chapter is for you!

-oOoOo-

Light from the moon shone upon the small group in the middle of the forest as they sat in silence. None of them could think of a single thing to say and the tension amongst them was thick enough to cut. The only sound that fell upon their ears were the small cries of the dead miko's soul collectors as they wound their way through the trees occasionally dropping the soul of a young maiden into the heart of Kikyo.

Hours had passed since Inuyasha declared Ayame part of their group and nobody knew how to react. Even Ayame, who was hoping he would let her stay, was thrown off by his behavior. Sure, she didn't know him as well as the others of his pack, but she knew what happened today was completely out of character. Before they arrived at the wolf den, Inuyasha had been protective of Kikyo, never letting anybody speak a single word of disrespect. She never expected him to pull dominance over her. Kikyo was a dominate character by nature and she didn't easily submit to the rulings of others. Inuyasha had startled her with his behavior, therefore she didn't have the ability to object.

Inuyasha sat against a tree with his sword resting against his shoulder. He gripped the scabbard tightly as he watched several expressions cross Ayame's face. What was it about her that set him off? Never before had he acted that way with Kikyo, and he didn't understand the reasoning behind it. He should be upset with the wolf for messing everything up, but he couldn't bring himself to take his confusion out on her. She didn't do anything wrong. Hell, he actually felt sorry for the girl. She was in the same situation he was in, only slightly worse. She didn't have anybody to fall back on like he did. He still had Kikyo by his side while she was left alone.

He bit the inside of his cheek. _Nobody deserves to be alone._ He thought to himself as he remembered his childhood and how many years he spent in complete solitude until the day he met Kikyo. She was the first person besides his mother who didn't shun him for what he was. That was the big reason he was still attracted to her despite the fact that her body and personality held little to no warmth. Not only that, he felt responsible for her death. If only he had more trust in her, maybe just maybe she wouldn't have died that fateful day.

_Kagome…_Her name seeped into his thoughts causing his ears to flatten against his head. Just like Kikyo, Kagome never cared that he was only a filthy hanyou. Hell, he doubted she would care if he was full youkai. He couldn't help but glance at Kikyo. _Would she have still cared for me if I was youkai?_ His fang clipped the inside of his mouth drawing blood. _No, she would have killed during our first encounter. The only reason she didn't kill me back then was because I am part human and she couldn't bring herself to take a human life. _He mentally cursed himself. If only he had realized certain things sooner. Kagome's face appeared in his mind drawing a small whimper from the hanyou. _Man, I really messed up this time._

Ayame watched Inuyasha as he sorted through his emotions. His aura, fluctuating rapidly as a new thought passed through his mind. She wondered what the cause of his agony was. She watched as his amber eyes flickered over to the dead priestess and she slowly began putting things together. Inuyasha was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He loved Kagome, that much she was positive of, but to love the walking dead? She shuddered at the thought of what that could entail. What was the connection between the two miko's? Both had extraordinary powers and they both possessed the ability to see the Shikon no Tama. She wanted to ask Inuyasha, but she refrained from asking with Kikyo sitting in their presence.

Her own thoughts slipped off the deep end as she began thinking about Koga and Kagome. How had things come to this? What had she done to deserve such a fate? Koga and her were supposed to be together, not him with Kagome. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. How will she explain this to the elders? She let out a sigh of defeat. Maybe this was how things were meant to be, after all, Koga denied up and down that he said he would mate her. She doubted he forgot about the promise he made to her all those years ago, so why was he set on denying the truth?

The beginnings of tears began to form in the corners of her eyes as she buried her face into her knees. _Koga…_

-oOoOo-

Kagome let out a deep sigh of relief as the hot water of the hot springs enveloped her sore body. Reclining against the warm rocks, she looked across the springs at Sango. She couldn't help but feel a new found respect for the slayer after their long day of physical training. She always knew Sango was strong physically, but she never quiet understood just how strong you needed to be to wield a sword properly. Despite their several breaks, Kagome still felt like she had been drug through the mud. Every muscle in her body ached with over use and her mind was just as exhausted.

Deciding to take her mind off pain in her muscles, she took it upon her self to strike up a conversation. It had been weeks after all since she had time alone with her adopted sister.

"How have you been?"

Sango's eyes wandered over to Kagome. "Good I suppose. I mean it's been difficult traveling around with Kikyo. She's so cold. I still don't understand what Inuyasha sees in her." The slayer flinched inwardly, afraid for Kagome's emotional state at the mention of Kikyo.

"I think Inuyasha stills feels guilty about what happened between them fifty years ago." Kagome caught the apprehensive look in her sisters eyes and shook her head. She was no longer the mentally fragile child she had been when she separated herself from Inuyasha. She had somebody who loved her for her, not what she was the reincarnation of. "It's ok Sango. I don't mind talking about it."

The slayer relaxed visibly. "I guess that's to be expected. You've grown so much, Kagome."

The young miko's gaze left her sister and found comfort in the bright stars covering the sky. "I've had to grow up, Sango. I couldn't afford to be the little damsel anymore, now that I can't go home."

Sango's eyes widened at Kagome's words. "You can't go home?"

It wasn't until then that she realized that nobody else knew about the well being destroyed. "Yeah, when I learned that Koga could go through the well using the power of the jewel shards, I couldn't risk Naraku being able to go through. He would use my family against me…I couldn't let that happen."

Sango moved across the springs to sit beside Kagome. She placed a comforting hand on her sisters shoulder before speaking. "I'm so sorry, Kagome, we didn't know."

The miko raised her head and met Sango's chocolate eyes. "It's ok…I mean, I'm still saddened by it, but Koga and the pack are here for me. I'm not alone."

"I'm so happy for you, Kagome." Sango gave her a brief hug before stepping out of the water. She had finished bathing a while ago, but she didn't want to hurt Kagome's feelings since she had always cherished "girl time" as she called it.

The moment the slayer was out of ear shot of the hot springs, Kagome's unsuspected spectator made his way towards the water. He had waited patiently for the slayer to finish with her bath to make his appearance known.

It was harder than in looked to stay completely hidden without making a noise considering the way the heat of the water flushed her perfect ivory skin. Even though he had taken her body more than once, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed with the urge to ravage her body every time her clothes came off. It was a miracle he managed to hold himself in check this long.

The young miko picked up on a familiar youki approaching. Her first thoughts were of fear and anger, but when the aura of the youkai reached out and brushed against her skin she felt herself shudder in response. Her own aura flared in response, drawing a grasp from her onlooker.

Koga practically purred the moment her power brushed across his body, leaving trails of heat across his sensitive skin. He shivered in delight as he removed his fur wrapping and tossed his armor to the ground. He stepped out from behind a tree, his heated eyes devouring the sight of his mate standing in the water ready and waiting for him.

Kagome couldn't help but gasp at the sight of Koga stepping out from behind the tree without his clothes on. Her hands covered her heart in an attempt to keep her heart from beating out of her chest. She stayed frozen in place as he made his way into the water, taking his time.

Heat pooled immediately between her legs forcing her body to make a step forward. She never would have imagined her body could ever react to anybody the way it reacted to Koga. Since she had her first taste of him, she couldn't help but want more. She was still nervous about the act itself. She was fearful that she was doing something wrong since all she ever seemed to do was lay on her back or even on all fours while Koga did all the work. She was aware there was more to sex then just the act itself, and she had been wanting to try a few things with Koga. She nibbled on her bottom lip. The things she wanted to do wasn't usually done in this time period and she was fearful of his reaction.

Koga now stood within a few feet of Kagome, and she decided to gather her courage. Since he kept coming back for more she was obviously doing something right. She swallowed a lump in her through and looked at his already erect manhood.

Hesitantly she brushed the tip of it with her fingers. Koga's breathing hitched in his throat the moment she touched him. Just the feather touch of her fingers were almost enough for him to lose control and ravage her body. No, he wanted more than that tonight. He wanted to show her the real pleasures of lying with him. He could make her scream his name without ever entering her body.

Kagome, without saying a word to Koga, dropped to her knees into the water so she knelt before him. His manhood stood at attention in front of her face and she swallowed her nerves. Instead of brushing him with her fingers, she wrapped her entire hand around him. Koga's attention was drawn to the wonderful feel of his miko touching his body.

"Kagome…what…" he rasped, unable to form a complete sentence the moment her hand began to rub up and down.

Her voice was soft and quiet. If it wasn't for his sensitive ears, he would have missed everything. "Let me try something." He raised an eyebrow, curious as to what she had in mind. He didn't have to wait long before the feel of something warm and moist wrapped around the tip of him.

"Kagome." He moaned her name the moment she took more of him in her mouth. He had no idea what she was doing ,but he was not about to stop her from her administrations. Never would he have thought her little mouth could bring his so much pleasure. Being a youkai, doing something like this was unheard of since the females had fangs. Sharp teeth were never trusted around such a sensitive and important body part. With his miko's dull teeth he had no fear. She wouldn't hurt him, she was incapable of such.

He called her name again the moment he felt himself reach the back of her throat. His clawed hands grabbed handfuls of her hair as he tossed his head back in euphoria. He wanted to slam himself into her mouth to speed up the pace, but he didn't want to hurt his fragile mate. No, he would restrain from doing such.

Kagome moved faster when she felt his hands in her hair. She didn't know how much he was enjoying this, but she didn't want to stop, she wanted to bring him release. Her rhythm changed when she felt him grow slighter larger and more firm. She could tell he was almost at his limit. Ignoring the protests of her jaw and gag reflex, she moved faster, drawing a moan Koga.

Koga let loose a low growl the moment he felt himself lose control. He stopped his mates movements and withdrew himself from her mouth. His eyes flashed crimson as he gazed down on her confused face. She thought she had done something wrong. He smirked. How wrong she was. He lifted her from her knees and carried her to the edge of the water and placed her upon one of the rocks.

"Koga, did I do something wrong?" Kagome stuttered, unsure of his actions. Sure, she noticed his eyes flashing from blue to red, but that didn't stop the fear that rose in the back of her mind.

"My turn." Was all he said before his face was buried in between her legs. Her moan of pleasure graced his ears, encouraging him to continue.

The moment Koga's mouth made contact with her overly sensitive folds he couldn't stop the sounds of pleasure that escaped her. She had known pleasure before, but never like this. Her hands grasped at the rocks, looking for something to grab hold of. Her hips bucked against his as his tongue entered her body. "Koga!" She screamed as he removed his tongue only to have a finger replace it.

The ookami's pride swelled the moment she cried out his name. He pulled his face away from her and glanced up at her half lidded eyes. He flicked his fingers over her sensitive spots earning him a moan. As he continued to bring her pleasure, he moved his face closer to her ear. "Do you want more?" He whispered, earning him a shudder.

Kagome could only nod her head since her voice escaped her. He removed his finger as he positioned himself between her legs. Her hips rose from the boulder, begging him to take her. He smirked as he positioned himself at her opening. "Please!" She begged. Since he wasn't one to keep his mate waiting, he slid himself inside.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I am terribly sorry for not updating on Sunday like I usually do! It's not my fault I swear it…You see Pokémon Black came out Sunday and I found myself sucked into the game, unable to think of a single thing to type! Well, this chapter probably sucks big time because I would rather be playing Pokémon, trying to catch em all!

-oOoOo-

Kagome slid to the ground, her body covered in sweat and bruises. It was her fourth day of sword training and she was finally showing major improvement. She was able to hold Sango off for several minutes before slipping up. Kagome took a hold of her water bottle and took a long drink. She rolled her shoulders, loosening the sore muscles. _All things considering, I feel pretty good! My muscles don't hurt nearly as much and I think I'm getting the hang of it!_ She mused as she watched Sango slap Miroku for his wandering hand.

The young miko let a smile cover her face as Koga took a seat next to her. "How am I doing?"

Koga wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "Beautifully." He kissed the top of her head. "How about I test you myself?"

Kagome pulled away and looked up into her blue eyes with a raised brow. "You mean you want me to spar with you? You'd wipe the floor with me, Koga. You're a big strong demon and I'm a small fragile human!"

Koga laughed. "You may be human, but you're not fragile, my little mate." He growled playfully against her ear.

Kagome pushed him away and grabbed her sword. "Alright you over grown pup, bring it on!" She rose to her feet and held her blade in front of her in a defensive position.

Sitting under the shade of a tree, Miroku and Sango stopped their bickering the moment Koga drew his sword from its scabbard. The entire time they've know him, they have never once seen him draw his sword. Sango had begun to wonder if it was sheer decoration. _This should be entertaining._ She grinned.

Shippo glanced up from the picture he had been drawing to watch Kagome and Koga square off. He couldn't help but smirk. _Kagome will kick his butt, that's a guarantee! Once she gets that look in her eye there is no stopping her from her goal._ He thought to himself as the look of steel resolve settled into the miko's eyes.

Koga made the first move and soon enough the two were locked in a heated sparring match. If one did not know of their relationship, they would believe they were fighting to the death. The wolf brought his blade down upon Kagome's enough strength to disarm her, but to his surprise, the blade stayed within her grasp. He raised an eyebrow as she took several quick steps back, readying herself her an attack.

Kagome stared Koga down like she would any normal enemy. She would show him that she was no longer the little girl that fell down the well a year ago. She no longer depended on the strength of others to keep her out of danger. She would fight her own battles from now on. _I can do this! I will win! _She encouraged herself as she charged.

The hair on the back of Koga's neck began to stick up and Koga knew Kagome would win this battle. He could feel her miko energy flaring within her aura, fueling her strength, allowing her to move faster than a normal human. Drawing upon the power of the jewel, Koga dodged o the left the moment Kagome's blade would have connected with his own. He didn't realize why he made such a move until he saw the blade of her sword coated with her miko powers.

"Time out!" Koga called as Kagome turned direction to come at him once more.

She stopped the moment she heard his voice, wondering why he would halt their spar so soon into the match. "What's wrong, Koga?" She asked.

"Look at your sword, Kagome. The purification power running through that blade would do a lot of damage even to me."

Her eyes dropped to her sword and her mouth dropped open. "Wow, I never knew I could do something like that." She brought the blade closer for inspection. Sure enough it was the same energy she channeled through her arrows. Never before had she been able to channel them into anything but her bow and arrows. Had her powers really grown that much? She glanced back at Koga. "I don't understand, why did my powers appear now and not while I was training with Sango?"

Before Koga could say anything, Miroku made his way over to the two of them. "It is probably due to his demonic nature."

Kagome nodded her head, "I guess that makes sense, but I didn't want to hurt him."

"I would suggest putting your sword training aside so we may begin with controlling your miko powers." The monk suggested.

"I agree." She shot a shameful look at Koga. "I really need to get this under control before I hurt somebody…again…" Her voice trailed off as she remembered hurting Koga at least twice with her energy. If she couldn't keep herself under control, she couldn't stay here with the wolves. She would rather risk heart break than knowing she was the cause for somebody's injuries or even death.

-oOoOo-

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha shouted as Kikyo walked away from the small campsite.

The dead miko didn't so much as look back at the hanyou. "I find myself ill at ease in the company of youkai."

Inuyasha launched himself so he stood in front of Kikyo, looking down into her cold brown eyes. He grasped her shoulders tightly, not wanting to see her leave. He wouldn't know what to do if another one of his women left him. "Why Kikyo? What is going through your mind?"

Kikyo's eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared into his golden pools. "Release me at once, Inuyasha."

Without so much as a thought, he pulled Kikyo into a tight embrace. "Don't leave me, Kikyo."

The miko stayed stiff in his embrace, wishing he would pull away quickly. She had no need of his touch, especially so soon after his embarrassing display at the wolf den. It was obvious he hadn't completely chosen her over her copy. To make things worse, she could see the possibilities between him and the wolf girl. Their aura's flared in the company of each other, seeking comfort.

Kikyo's hand snaked up Inuyasha's chest, resting against the softness of his haori. Leaning into his neck, she whispered in his ear. "If you wish me to stay so desperately, I suggest you remove the wolf from our company."

Inuyasha pulled away, shocked at the harshness of her words. Did she truly not understand why Ayame was with them. Her heart had been shredded and she needed the comfort of others. Sure, she could have returned back to her pack, but she was far from home. He pulled away from Kikyo and shook his head. What was wrong with her? He thought her coldness towards him was always because he traveled with Kagome. Was it possible she didn't wish to see him traveling with any females. If that was true, it was amazing she tolerated Sango, but that could be because she was promised to Miroku. Inuyasha shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

Ayame watched the confrontation with interest though you couldn't tell by looking at her. She propped her chin on the palm of her hand as her elbow rested on her leg. She could tell Kikyo was trying to whisper to Inuyasha to prevent her from listening, but Ayame could hear every word. The thought of being sent away from Inuyasha shouldn't have bothered her, but for some strange reason, she felt a tug in her chest.

Ayame let out a small sigh, wishing the two of them would reach a conclusion soon because the suspense was starting eat away at her mind. She knew she should head back to her territory soon, but she didn't feel like leaving Inuyasha yet either. She felt as if there was something she had to accomplish before leaving.

Her ears perked when she heard Inuyasha finally respond. "No, Ayame stays. I don't understand why you're acting this way, but there is no reason to take it out on her."

Ayame felt her heart practically soar out of her chest. She couldn't help but stand up and take a step towards him. She stopped mid step when she felt the harsh glare of Kikyo.

_What the hell is her problem?_ Ayame glared back, not liking the look in the dead one's eyes.

Kikyo smirked at the hopeful expression on the ookami's face and decided to see just how aware she was of her feelings. She stepped closer to Inuyasha, throwing the hanyou off guard. She placed her hands around his neck and leaned into his ear. "I understand, but if I stay, I expect to be shown a little more _attention_" She purred, emphasizing the word attention.

Inuyasha stiffened under touch, but felt his muscles relax when she didn't hurt him. He felt himself blush at her words. He found his body reacting her the sound of her voice and he pulled her closer, burying his nose in her hair, taking in her scent.

Ayame felt a sudden rage build at the sight of them. She snorted before turning around and making her way towards the stream that wasn't far away. She couldn't bring herself to stay in their company if they were going to be doing anything intimate. Ayame shook her head and held her hand to her heart. Her chest felt tight and she could feel the burning sensation of tears burning their way to the surface. _What is wrong with me, I hardly know him? Why do I feel like this? What is this feeling in my chest?_

-oOoOo-

The sun had fallen over the horizon, blanketing the area in a shroud of darkness that not even the moon and stars could pierce. Thick storm clouds coated the sky, threatening to open loose on the lands below. The young wolf prince stood at the entrance to the cave system in which his mate and adopted kit slept. The wind howled around him, lifting his ebony hair around his face. He felt a tingle run down his spine as he looked towards the south. Something was brewing and deep in his bones he knew it involved His mate and Naraku. The spider had been silent for too long, it was about time he came out of hiding to make his next move.

Thoughts of the young miko inside the cave had the prince rubbing his hands up and down his arms. Despite the fact that Kagome had been training, he knew she wasn't ready for somebody like Naraku. Sure, her arrows were extremely powerful, but her miko abilities were still unstable. She hadn't had enough time with Miroku to stabilize herself. He dropped his hands to his side and clenched them into fists. _I will not let anything happen to her, not if I have a say in the matter._

Distress and uneasiness filtered into the young miko's dreams, pulling her into the world of the living. Kagome sat up, pushing the warm furs from her body. "Koga?" She called when she realized he was no longer beside her.

Noticing the cave empty other than Shippo, she rose to her feet. The uneasy feeling in her heart grew stronger, almost pulling her towards the cave entrance. Never one to doubt her instincts, she followed her heart. Standing in the dark looking up at the storm heavy clouds was Koga. His raven-colored hair, not bound in a pony tail, whipped wildly around his face giving him an untamed look. If it wasn't for the emotions rolling around within his aura, she would have commented how utterly attractive he looked. She stepped forward, placed a tentative hand on his upper arm.

"Koga, what's wrong?" She asked, looking up into his cerulean eyes, seeking an answer. Never had she seen a look so serious on his face.

Koga looked away from the clouds and met her sepia eyes. He could smell her concern. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her closer. "I don't like the look of the sky." He commented, not telling her what was truly bothering him.

Kagome shivered as the wind sent chills down her back. The sky was truly a menacing sight to behold. In her sixteen years, she had never seen a storm system quite like it. The summer heat had seemed harsher than normal and as the day progressed, the humidity sky rocketed, leaving the air heavy enough, Kagome felt like she was going to drown.

She snuggled closer to Koga, despite the suffocating heat. No matter how hot the temperature was, she couldn't stop the chill that kept running down her spine. Something bad was coming this way, she could tell. "Let's go inside."

Koga nodded. "Sure." He followed Kagome back into the caves where the air was noticeably cooler. He watched as she stopped to check on Shippo before crawling back into bed. He laid beside her. "I love you, Kagome."

"I love you too, Koga." She whispered before sleep reclaimed her.

-oOoOo-

A/N: Ok, there all done. *wipes sweat from her brow* That was seriously a lot of work! Once again I'm sorry if it isn't that good. My mind is elsewhere today.


	23. Chapter 23

The rain laden clouds let loose upon the lands just before daybreak. The howling of the wind and the crashing of thunder startled the young kitsune from his healing slumber. With a whimper he sat up and glanced around the cave. Still asleep in their mound of furs were Koga and Kagome. He let out a sigh of relief. His hand traveled over his healing wounds and wished he were more powerful so he would not worry his mother so much.

Five days have passed since he took a blow meant for Kagome and he was already almost healed. He was pretty sure the only reason for his quick recovery was because of Kagome's medical attentions and motherly care.

Careful not to wake them, he pushed aside his fur blanket and made slow progress towards the cave entrance. He couldn't help but stare with wide eyes at the weather. Even though it was daybreak, not a speck of sunlight made it through the torrential rains that pounded the area. Trees bowed against the strength of the wind and lightning was the only source of light. Shippo expected the clouds to be gray and black; instead he found them tainted with green, a sight he had never seen before.

The fur on his tail stood at attention as a clasp of thunder echoed off the stone. He didn't like the feel of the air. It held malice and was coated with a hint of youki. Despite his undeveloped nose, he could catch the hint of Naraku.

_If gathering the jewel shards weren't enough, he has to alter the weather too. If the rain keeps up like this, the entire area will be flooded._ He worried to himself as he eyed the already raising levels of the river below. The once steady waterfall was rampaging over the rocks, heavy with the fallen rain.

Using the wall of the cave as a crutch, he made his way back inside to wake Kagome up. Something needed to be done before the lower caves were flooded.

"Kagome! Kagome!" Shippo shouted, trying to wake her up. It was always a chore to wake Kagome up, especially this early in the morning. He was hoping the urgency in his voice would trigger her motherly instincts.

Sure enough, the moment Shippo's worried cries reached her in her dreams, her eyes shot open. "Shippo, what's the matter?" She looked over at him. It dawned on her that he shouldn't be out of bed, he was still recovering. "What are you doing out of bed, are you in pain?"

Indeed his wound was bothering him, but it wasn't anything serious. He was more worried about the children who slept inside the lower caves. His worries focused mostly on his new friend, Hanabi. "The rain, it's flooding the river!"

Kagome didn't need to be told anymore. She was well aware of how close the lower cave systems were to the water and the dangers it would present. "I want you to lay back down and rest. Koga and I will take care of it." She patted him on the head, giving him a reassuring smile.

Once Shippo was tucked back into bed, she shook Koga gently. "Koga, wake up." He grumbled under his breath, begging for five more minutes. If the situation was serious she would have laughed. When he refused to wake up, she huffed in annoyance. "WAKE UP YOU BAKA!" She screamed in his sensitive ears, earning him a pleasant yelp.

"What the hell was that for?" He shouted as he covered his ears.

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, but there's an emergency. The river is flooding and the lower caves will flood. We need to get the children out of there before it's too late."

Putting aside his grumpiness at being so rudely awakened, he pushed off the blankets and rose to his feet. "Let's go, Kagome."

Several minutes, Kagome and Koga made their way into the lower caves which had already started taking in water. Koga rushed ahead to hurry to those who resided further back while Kagome took to searching the front half for whoever she could find.

It didn't take her long to find a small family still asleep in their piles of fur. The water had yet to reach them since they were on an incline. She moved first to the parents and shook them awake. Sensing the fear in Kagome's scent they woke immediately, curious as to what could have scared their princess.

"You need to get your children and make for higher grounds, the cave is flooding." Kagome instructed. The youkai nodded their heads and did as they were told.

Several times she repeated those actions, successfully evacuating six families before a small cry for help reached her ears. Immediately, she flared her aura in search of the call for help. She found it deeper into the caves. She didn't understand, hadn't Koga gone that way? Worried for the safety of her mate and for the person calling for help, she rushed towards the frightened voice.

The miko's worries escalated as the water began rising more rapidly than before. Instead of running through ankle deep waters, it was now almost to her knees, slowing her progress. She needed to help the ookami before the water completely consumed the cave.

Tripping over a boulder unseen by her eyes, Kagome fell face-first into the water. She choked and spit out mouthfuls of water as she rose to her feet. _Damnit, I won't make it at this rate!_ She cursed her slowness and continued to push forward. "I'm coming!" She shouted into the darkness before her, hoping they could hear her.

"Hurry!" The voice cried again, this time much closer. Kagome was able to make out the voice more clearly. It was a female child.

_Gotta keep going!_ She pushed herself harder despite the rapidly rising waters which rose to her waist. "Koga!" She screamed for him, hoping to hear his voice.

His voice never responded and a feeling of dread settled into her heart. _What happened to Koga is he hurt?_ Several scenarios played out in her head and none of them had happy endings. _You better be alright, Koga, or I'll kill you myself!_ She thought at Koga, knowing he couldn't actually hear her.

-oOoOo-

Koga stood outside the cave system, watching the entrance, hoping to see Kagome emerge. His hackles rose at each passing minute. The water was reaching dangerous heights and he knew she wouldn't last long in there at this rate.

_You better be alright, Koga, or I'll kill you myself! _Kagome's voice whispered in his mind. His ears perked, hoping to catch the sound again, only realize he hadn't heard with his ears. He smirked at the frustration in her voice, knowing she had to be fine if she was thinking thoughts like that.

It did worry him that she was worried for his health. _She couldn't be looking for me, right? All she has to do is reach out her aura and she would know my position._ He sighed as he made his way towards the cave. _It is amazing that her thoughts were able to reach me so soon into our mating. It usually takes years to develop that strong of a bond. I wonder if she can hear me…_

_Kagome, get out of there! The waters are rising too quickly._

Kagome's startled voice entered his mind once again. _Koga? You mean you're not inside the cave? That doesn't matter, there is a child trapped in here._

Koga couldn't help but sigh. Leave it to his woman to worry about the welfare of others before that of her own. He couldn't the swell of pride that filled him. She was willing to risk her life for his pack. _Hang on Kagome, I'm coming._

Just as he was about to enter the cave, an oppressive youki slammed into him, sending him to his knees gasping for breath. He didn't need to raise his head to know that Naraku had finally made his move. Even in the torrential rain, he could smell him clearly.

"Naraku…" Koga growled under his breath as he turned around to face his adversary. His eyes widened at the youkai standing before him. Despite the thick scent of Naraku, the person before him was not the hanyou, but yet again another incarnation.

The female youkai stood almost as tall as Koga with waist length blue hair and striking silver eyes. She wore a standard kimono and held a trident in her hands. "You must be Koga of the Wolf Demon Tribe."

"Who the hell are you what do you want?" he snarled, not having the time to be messing around with the likes of her. His mate was in danger and she needed his help.

"I am Arashi." She introduced herself before attacking with speed that rivaled Koga's.

-oOoOo-

Kagome let out a sigh of relief when she caught sight of the small ookami child hanging tightly to a stalagmite. By this point, the water was too deep to walk though and she found herself swimming towards the girl. _Thank goodness I took swimming lessons when I was younger!_ She wrapped an arm around the child and tried her best to swim them both out of the cave before it completely filled.

As she neared the opening she felt an explosive youki fill the area in darkness. Struggling not to choke on the evil of the aura, she increased her speed. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Kagome flared her aura across the area, trying to figure the cause of the disturbance. She gasped.

_Naraku!_ She screamed his name in her head as fear for Koga's life overwhelmed her body. The miko found renewed strength and swan at a faster pace. She needed to be by his side, she couldn't let Naraku get his hands on Koga's jewel shards.

Kagome managed to get herself and the child out of the cave before it completely filled and dropped the girl off on the nearest dry spot of land. "Go find Ginta and Hakkaku, tell them to gather the wolves and get far away from here. Tell them Kagome sent you!" The child gave her an affirmative nod before running towards the rest of the pack.

Turning in the direction of the clashing youki, Kagome took a deep breath. _Here is your chance to show him what you're really made of. _She encouraged herself as she charged towards the battle.

-oOoOo-

Not wanting to fight so close to the cave, Koga managed to draw Arashi away. He couldn't risk their battle caving in the opening. The prince stood, panting heavily, staring down his opponent. It amazed him how fast this youkai was. Even with the jewel shards enhancing his speed, she was able to keep pace. It frustrated him to no end, but there was nothing he could do about it. He took a deep breath before releasing a wave of youki from Goraishi.

Raising her trident, the blue haired youkai met the ookami's attack with a single bolt of lightning. As the battle raged, Arashi couldn't see why Naraku was having difficulties with the young wolf prince. He wasn't anything special. The only thing he had going for him was his speed, but even then it wasn't that impressive since he was drawing upon two jewel shards.

With a thrust of her trident, she caught the wolf off guard, catching him in the shoulder. With a smirk she focused her youki through the weapon. Blue lightning crackled down the handle and into his body. She laughed in delight the moment a cry of pain left his mouth.

-oOoOo-

Before Kagome reached the battle, she felt the presence of a familiar youki. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. Flying towards her were her friends on the back of Kirara. Taking a hold of Sango's hand, she swung herself on the nekomata's back.

"Thanks guys."

Miroku handed her bow and arrows, along with the sword she had been training with. "I thought you might need those." He grinned.

Koga's scream of pain reached Kagome's ears, causing her heart to falter. "Hurry!" She encouraged as she notched an arrow.

-oOoOo-

Arashi pulled the trident from Koga's shoulder and struck again, this time aiming for his neck. She would have connected had an arrow coated in pink miko energy not flown inches from her face. The power radiating from the arrow, though it never directly touched her skin, left a trail of fire across her cheek.

The demoness turned her attention to the sky where she spotted three ningens riding on a twin-tailed fire cat. She snarled before launching a lightning bolt towards the quartet.

Kirara managed to dodge the full of the attack, but the power of it sent them spiraling towards the ground. The three humans' crash landed, though not hard enough to cause any real damage while Kirara landed on her feet.

"Why do you interfere?" Arashi questioned, letting the irritation show in her voice. She was just about to finish the disgusting wolf off. She hated being interrupted and these four will pay with their lives!

Kagome was first to recover. She notched another arrow and aimed it at Arashi. "Step away from Koga or else this arrow will take your head!" She snapped.

The youkai couldn't help but chuckle at the little miko. She truly thought her puny powers were enough to kill one such as she. "I would love to see you try, Miko, but if you try anything, Wolf Boy gets it." He held her trident over the wounded Koga.

Koga snarled at the demoness. How dare she threaten him and Kagome! He tried to sit up, only to have the tip of the trident press against his shoulder. Feeling the trickle of electricity running through the blade, he decided against trying to stand. She could barbeque him at any moment.

He tossed a glance to Kagome. She stood poised and ready to kill. She looked different than she did last time he saw her fight. She used to have a hint of fear and self-doubt. Not any longer. Her back was straight and her eyes never wavered. She truly looked remarkable. As much as he wanted her to flee, he wanted to see what his mate would do.

"You so much as twitch, Youkai, and you're getting an arrow in the heart."

"My my, you sure are a feisty one. I can see why Naraku has taken interest in you." He eyes flickered down to Koga. "Your powers area wasted on such a pathetic excuse for a youkai. You would be better off working for somebody like Naraku."

Kagome snorted at the demoness's words. "Psh, like I would ever work such a despicable excuse for a man. Now release Koga!"

Arashi pressed the tip of her weapon harder against Koga's wound, drawing a whimper from him.

Kagome was done talking to the youkai. She let her arrow fly. Nobody hurt Koga and lived. She watched as the arrow flew in a direct line to her heart. _Hit the mark!_ Her mouth gaped open as Arashi practically disappeared from sight, her arrow flying harmlessly into a rock. The moment she disappeared, Kagome dropped her bow.

"Kagome!" Koga screamed in warning as Arashi appeared behind Kagome.

Drawing her sword from its scabbard, Kagome turned around to meet Arashi. Trident met katana as the two women engaged in close combat.

As metal clashed with metal, Kagome knew she was fighting a losing battle. She had not trained long enough to be fighting a youkai of Arashi's caliber. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the storm youkai before her. She had to keep her busy long enough for Koga to regain his composure. If the two of the teamed up, they would be able to defeat Naraku's newest incarnation.

Arashi was honestly surprised with the miko's melee skills. From what Naraku had told her, the onna was only skilled with the bow and arrow, and even then, her skills were questionable. Apparently, Naraku wasn't as well informed as he believed himself to be. Tiring of their little spar, Arashi stepped back, unleashing a bolt of electricity that would fry the strongest youkai.

"Kagome!" Her friends shouted in unison, knowing the miko could not avoid the attack.

The unnatural storm that was brewing around them seemed to falter the moment the lighting connected with the miko. The area was bathed in a purple hue as the blue energy of Arashi and the pink energy of Kagome clashed. As the auras battled for dominance, the bystanders watched with mixed feelings. Fascination, fear, and a sliver of hope flickered in all of their auras.

Koga managed to rise to his feet as he watched the clash of energies battled. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Kagome. He focused on his youki swirling within her body. With a single thought, Kagome's pink reiki changed from pink to pale blue as his youki was added to the mix of energies.

Normally, a miko's reiki would attempt to purify the youki, but instead of purifying his energies, they merged, creating a force to be reckoned with. With him adding fuel to the fire, the mass amount of youki and reiki exploded, knocking everybody to the ground.

By the time the debris settled down, Koga was on his feet, searching for his mate. He spotted the slayer and monk easily enough since they managed to avoid the debris, but he couldn't find Kagome.

"Kagome!" He called for her, wishing the rain would stop so he could use his sense of smell to its fullest. "Kagome!"

He spotted her sword on the ground and rushed in that direction. He clenched his jaw in anger at the sight before him. Kagome lay unconscious, half buried in chunks of rocks. Immediately, he flung the rocks from her body and lifted her head into his lap.

"Kagome, wake up." He patted her cheek gently. She was still breathing and her heartbeat was still strong, but her aura was weak. She had used too much energy. "Wake up Love, please." He nuzzled her neck, desperate to see her soft brown eyes.

"Ko-Koga…"

"Kagome?" He lifted his head to see her eyes flutter open. "Thank Kami."

"What happened?" She whispered weakly.

Koga growled. "She got away."

-oOoOo-

A/N: Phew that was intense! I hope you guys enjoyed my first actual battle scene. As you can see, Naraku has finally made his move and shit has hit the fan. Until next time! Je ne!


	24. Chapter 24

It was only hours from daybreak and the inu hanyou was resting against a large tree, gripping his fang tightly. There was something in the air that had his hair standing on end. His eyes stayed glued to the sky in the east as a storm began to brew. He could feel the electricity cracking in the air even from his relatively safe distance from the storm.

The hanyou brought his amber eyes from the sky to the two sleeping women with him. Ayame lay curled in a ball near the small camp fire while Kikyo rested with her body only inches from Inuyasha's legs. Before he could even fathom thinking about what the change of the weather meant, he needed to deal with the problem at hand. What to do about Kikyo. Ever since Ayame joined their pack she had been acting like a jealous wife. He understood to some degree since they were sleeping together, but they were not yet a mated pair. He had always been too afraid of the consequences of mating with somebody in her condition. It wasn't as if he was making advances towards the ookami, he only let her stay because she shouldn't be alone at a time like this.

He bore his eyes into the sleeping form of Ayame and took his time to study her figure. She was attractive and he admired her spunky and brave attitude. In a way, she reminded him of Kagome. They had the same spunk and never took shit from anybody. Neither was afraid to speak their minds, and seemed to lighten the atmosphere with her presence alone. After weeks of traveling without Kagome, Inuyasha could feel himself attaching himself to the wolf for these reasons. He was even getting used to the stench of wolves and dare he say, he almost drew comfort from her scent.

Was Kikyo picking up on this? Was this the reasons behind her sudden jealous attitude, or had she always been thus? A sigh escaped his lips as his thoughts roamed. Inuyasha wasn't used to thinking this much into any matter and this one was beginning to bore on him. Things needed to resolve quickly or the young hanyou was going to lose his mind.

His thoughts dispersed the moment the first clasp of thunder echoed of the hills. His ears swiveled on top of his head as the sounds began to stir his other sensitive eared companion. Ayame moaned as she rubbed the sleep from her emerald eyes before looking around the camp. Her eyes paused on Inuyasha before quickly looking away.

_I wander what her problem is?_ Inuyasha thought to himself, wondering when the wolf had grown shy.

"Ohayo." She greeted quietly as she sat up, crossing her legs beneath her. Her eyes traveled to the sky above, shivering visibly as the static charge of the air played with the hair on her arms.

"Ohayo." Inuyasha returned her greeting, taking note of her obvious discomfort. "It's just a storm, you can go back to sleep."

Ayame shook her head. "No, I don't think I can." Her eyes scanned the area once more before residing on the vibrant red of the fire-rat robe. "We should leave this place; it's giving me the chills."

The hanyou raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're afraid of thunderstorms."

The ookami shook her head. "I'm not, but this isn't a natural storm. Can't you feel the youki coating the rain clouds?" What she didn't say was she was catching the faint scent of Naraku. She wasn't sure if it was because he was hanyou, but he obviously hadn't picked up on that little fact.

Ayame ran her hands up and down her arms once more. She really didn't want to be anywhere near the kumo, for she knew he would tell Inuyasha about the plan to steal Koga away from Kagome. She didn't think the hanyou would approve of her actions, and hold her accountable if anything were to happen to Kagome. She didn't know why, but she didn't want Inuyasha to send her away. She regretted her actions with the evil hanyou. If only she had researched more before coming to her decision. If she had, she would have known he mated the miko and there was nothing she could do other than kill Kagome. Looking back upon her actions, she knew she would have to go back to the eastern wolf tribe if only to apologize to Kagome and the young kit she had wounded. She never meant for things to go so far.

As the night turned into morning, the storm seemed to only grow more potent. Both Ayame and Inuyasha found themselves moving closer to each. Both were overwhelmed with the need to flee the scene, but neither wanted to wake the sleeping miko. How the woman remained asleep was completely beyond both of them. The thunder, despite being far from their current position was loud enough the canines wanted to stuff cloth in their ears to muffle the painful rumbles.

It wasn't until the rain made its way to their location that Inuyasha decided to wake Kikyo from her slumber. With a gentle shake, he tried to draw the miko awake. When her cold body only shook under his touch, the hanyou began to worry. It was unlike Kikyo to sleep so deeply. He let slip a low growl as he tried harder.

Ayame took notice of Inuyasha's plight and knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What's the matter?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't know. She was fine yesterday." He lifted his gaze to the sky in search of her soul collectors. His eyes narrowed when he realized there were none in the immediate vicinity. "Damnit, where are the soul collectors?" his voice trailed off as something came to the forefront of his mind. "Now that I think of it, I haven't seen one since yesterday afternoon."

Ayame's eyes widened. "Now that you mention it…"

The inu lifted his miko against his chest with an arm under her neck and the other behind her knees. "Let's get out of here." Before the hanyou could take two steps, the distinct scent of Naraku flooded his nose. He froze in place as he scanned the area for him presence.

"Naraku…" Ayame hissed.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Ayame. It's too bad our little arrangement didn't work out." The baritone voice of the kumo greeted from the darkness of the trees surrounding the camp.

"Arrangement? What the hell is he talking about Ayame?" Inuyasha turned to face to ookami.

Ayame shook her head as she brought her hands over her heart. She couldn't bring herself to tell the inu the truth. She was too afraid of what he would say or do.

A deep entertained laugh filled the area. "Ah, so you haven't been completely honest with Inuyasha, have you Ayame. Were you afraid of his actions or were you afraid of being left alone?"

Inuyasha, confused by the sudden turn of events, growled at Naraku. "Shut the hell up and leave her alone!" He placed Kikyo against a tree and drew the Tessaiga from its scabbard. He could smell Ayame's fear, but he didn't care. She wasn't the enemy and he had seen enough of Naraku's little schemes to know he was trying to force them into a battle. No, he would not fall for his tricks again.

_I will defeat Naraku here and now. I won't let him anywhere Kikyo and Ayame._ "Prepare to die, Naraku!" Inuyasha bellowed as he let loose a Kaze no Kizu

-oOoOo-

Back at the now flooded wolf den, Koga placed Kagome down inside the higher levels of the cave system. Shortly after her battle with Arashi, Kagome lost consciousness due to her over use of her powers. He barked orders to one of the female youkai to fetch him a suitable outfit for Kagome to wear since her current outfit was in shreds and he couldn't figure out how her normal clothing worked.

"Koga, how is Kagome-sama?" The houshi asked as he lingered near the entrance of the cave.

"She's merely unconscious." Koga confirmed in a husky voice as he struggled with his instincts to drive the male away from his injured mate. His hand brushed through Kagome's thick locks as he took several deep breaths.

_She wouldn't be in this situation if I had been stronger. Even with the jewel shards in my legs, that youkai wiped the floor with me. If Kagome hadn't have shown up when she did, surely I wouldn't be here right now._ He closed his eyes against the ache in his chest. He had failed to uphold his duty to protect what was his.

Miroku watched as sever emotion played across the wolf prince's face. He had an idea what was going through his mind since he had a similar experience when Sango had been hurt on Mount Hakurei. He had been overwhelmed with a sadness and anger. He gripped his right hand tightly at the memory.

The monk took another step into the cave only to be greeted with a dangerous growl. He took notice of Koga's tense form and the hint of red seeping into his ice blue eyes. The youkai's aura flared dangerously.

Miroku placed both of his hands in front of him, showing the wolf he was unarmed and meant to ill will. "Koga, I will not harm Kagome-sama, I swear my life on it." He said quietly, not wishing to cause alarm with his voice.

Red and blue battled for dominance as Koga tried to regain his control. "Leave us…please…" He practically begged, not wanting to accidentally harm the monk.

Miroku, taking heed his warning, took several slow steps backwards, never turning his back on the wolf. Once clear of the cave, he went in search of his intended. She had taken it upon herself to take over care of Shippo while Kagome recovered.

He found them in a small enclave sitting around a fire. Shippo lay curled in Sango's lap while Kirara took to guarding the small group, still in her larger form. The monk patted the nekomata gently as he passed.

"How's Kagome?" Shippo asked the moment he smelled Miroku.

Miroku shook his head. "She's unconscious, but I was unable to make my own assessment. Koga wouldn't let me near her."

Sango could only nod her head. "It makes sense. Canine youkai are very protective of their loved ones. Since Kagome-chan is hurt, his protective instincts probably took over and saw you as a potential threat."

The monk smiled at his well learned fiancé. He knew a fair amount about youkai and their ways, but not nearly as much as Sango. Her upbringing had definitely helped them during their journeys. He took a seat beside Sango and Shippo, patting the kit on the head, much like he did Kirara.

"How are you feeling Shippo?" He asked.

Shippo couldn't help but smile at the caring monk. He lifted his shirt to reveal his almost healed wounds. Much to his surprise, they wouldn't even leave a scar. "Almost all better!"

"That's wonderful news!"

"Houshi-sama, why do you suppose Naraku created another incarnation?" Sango asked as the battle played out in her mind. None of it made sense. The kumo had the almost complete jewel and a small group of powerful incarnations. Why would he create another one? It didn't make any sense to the slayer and it was starting to bother her. What worried her most was how powerful the latest one seemed to be. Despite Koga's unnatural speed, the youkai managed to rough him up a bit. She was almost positive Koga would have lost that fight had Kagome not intervened.

"That is a good question, Sango. The thought worried me as well, but with little information to go on, there is little we can do about it. Right now all we can do is pray for Kagome's speedy recovery.

The entire group nodded their heads in agreement.

An ear piercing scream echoed off the halls of the caverns, causing Shippo to cover his ears and Kirara to shake her head in pain. Miroku and Sango both rose to their feet, grabbing their weapons at the same time. They knew that sound all too well.

"Kagome!" They said in unison.

-oOoOo-

A/N: Ok I know I'm an evil vile writer who just left you with a cliffy! I could have made this longer, but decided against it since well, I'm evil! Stay tuned for the next installment!


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: first and foremost I want to say that my thoughts and prayers go out to all of Japan. This chapter is for you guys!

-oOoOo-

Pain. It was the only thing Kagome's brain could register. Her body bucked and writhed as she was enveloped in a pale blue light, lifting her from the ground. She screamed for all she was worth, unable to do anything else. How could anybody survive such a pain? She searched her mind for a reason behind the intrusion, but found nothing. Nothing she had done in the past several days or even weeks could attribute to the pain she was feeling now.

"Kagome!" Koga screamed her name, eyes red with fury.

_Koga…_his name passed through her frantic thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing only on her mate. His name alone set her pain at ease, if only for a second. She wanted to reach through their strange new bond, but was afraid that he would feel her pain. No, she would have to go through this alone.

She focused on the sound of her breathing and the rapid beating of her heart. With each pulse, the pain seemed to lessen, allowing her body to slowly relax. She had stopped screaming and writhing, but her body was still in pain.

_Stop fighting it. _A familiar voice rang through her mind. At first she thought it to belong to Koga, but quickly realized it was female.

_Who are you? _ Kagome asked back, thinking she had officially lost her mind.

_Stupid girl, do you truly not recognize my voice? Take a deep breath and relax. The pain will stop the moment you do._ The woman spoke again, this time with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

_What do I have to lose?_ Kagome managed to take a deep breath before trying to relax every muscle in her body. The fire in her veins and the pounding in her head slowly became nothing more than a distant memory. Deep within her heart, Kagome felt something click into place, filling a piece of her she never realized was empty. Her hand flew to cover her heart as her eyes flew open.

Images flashed through her vision, causing her to palm her head. She caught images of Naraku and Inuyasha fighting only feet from Kikyo's unconscious form. Kagome took notice of a large gash across her chest in which a large amount of miasma seeped through. Not far in the distance stood Ayame, too afraid to move.

"Kikyo!" She panted as she shot to a sitting position. She looked around the cave, desperately searching for the dead miko, only to find herself face to face with a very upset ookami.

Koga gripped her shoulders tightly as he searched her brown eyes for signs of injury, weary as to why she called the name of Inuyasha's pet. He didn't know what to make of the past few minutes, but none of it made sense to him.

(flashback)

Koga sat beside Kagome, holding her small hand in his wile she rested. He felt bad for losing some of his control in front of the monk, but he knew Miroku wouldn't hold it against him.

A gust of wind blew into the cave, carrying the thick, disgusting scent of Naraku with it. Koga found himself on his feet between Kagome and the entrance in a protective stance. This scent didn't belong to the incarnation they had just met, but to the kumo himself. He should have figured Naraku would be showing his ugly face again soon.

He caught sight of something blue heading in their direction. With a snarl, his Goraishi appeared on his hand. Nobody was going to lay a hand on Kagome while he still drew breath. As the unknown blue light approached, he caught scent of the dead miko, Ayame and Inuyasha. Unable to put the pieces together, he failed to notice the blue light dart past him and straight into Kagome's body.

Her body lifted off the ground as the light enveloped Kagome's body, drawing a scream from her lips. He watched helplessly as her pink miko powers flared against the invading light, trying to fend it off. Koga didn't know what to do. He could try and attack the light, but with it being so close to Kagome, he couldn't risk hurting her.

(End Flashback)

Kagome met Koga's crimson eyes and gasped. Her hand left her heart and her fingers brushed his cheek. "It's okay Koga, I'm fine."

He leaned into her hand, the red slowly leaving his eyes. "Kagome…" He whispered before drawing her into a rib crushing hug. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck, allowing her scent to calm him.

"Kagome-sama!"

"Kagome-chan!"

Koga and Kagome pulled away from each other as the monk and slayer flew in on the back of Kirara, armed and dangerous. Kagome felt her heart swell at the sight of her friends coming to her aide, but she had more important issues to deal with. She rose to her feet with the help of Koga since her body was still weak from her fight with Arashi.

"I'm fine guys, really."

"We heard you scream and we thought the worse." Sango rushed over to her sister and gave her a hug.

Kagome patted her on the back before pulling away. "I'm sorry for worrying you guys, but we have bigger problems." She took a deep breath. "Naraku killed Kikyo. Inuyasha and Ayame are fighting with him now."

"How do you know this Kagome?" Koga asked.

"That blue light, that was the piece of my soul that Kikyo was using to remain attached to this world." She took note of the weariness on Koga's face. Answering their questions before they asked, she added. "It only hurt because I fought the merging of my soul. I heard Kikyo's voice in my head, telling me to relax and the moment I did, the pain went away."

"So, your soul is in one piece again?" Sango asked.

Kagome nodded sadly. She may not have cared for Kikyo, but she wouldn't wish death upon her. Even in her clay body, Kikyo felt pain. "I know where Naraku and Inuyasha are."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Koga smirked.

-oOoOo-

The storm was waning as the small motley crew made their way to the battlefield where Inuyasha and Naraku were fighting. Sango and Miroku rode on Kirara's back while Kagome rode on Koga's back. Ginta and Hakkaku were placed in charge back at the den just in case anything were to happen. Shippo, no matter how hard he tried to cover up his pain, was not allowed to come either.

As they neared their destination, Koga's nose picked up on the scent of Inuyasha's and Ayame's blood, but none of Naraku's. That could only mean the spider was still hiding behind his barrier like a coward. It pissed Koga off that the evil hanyou would act so cowardly. Even without the barrier, he was insanely powerful, and even more so now that he was in possession of most of the Shikon no Tama.

"Get ready." Koga warned as they approached the thickening youki.

Minutes passed and Koga came to a skidding halt in a small clearing. He took a quick assessment of the battle field, noticing the clearing was recently made, as if the battle alone was fierce enough to destroy rock and tree. As much as he detested the inu hanyou, he had to admit Mutt-face was a hell of a fighter.

Kagome slipped off his back and took her spot at his side, gripping her bow tightly in her right hand. "This is horrible." She whispered, shocked at the sheer destruction of the landscape.

"Where is Inuyasha?" Miroku asked as his eyes scanned the area.

Koga pointed in the direction of a large explosion. He wrinkled his nose in confusion. Something was wrong, Inuyasha's scent had changed. He no longer smelled of a hanyou.

"What's wrong Koga?" Kagome asked as she placed a hand on his arm.

"Inuyasha's scent is that of a youkai."

The three ningens gasped at the same time, full well knowing what that meant. Without a second thought, Kagome released Koga's arm and rushed towards the battle. _This is all my fault! If only I figured out what was going on sooner, I could have prevented this!_ Her thoughts were garbled and panicked as she ran through the destruction of the battle. She may not love Inuyasha like she did before, but she still cared for his well-being. With Kikyo dead, he must have lost control of his emotions and his youkai blood surfaced. _ I have to do something!_

She halted her charge as a tentacle slammed into the ground only feet from her. With a girly yelp, She jumped backwards. Her eyes sought out the owner of said tentacle. It didn't take long for her to spot Naraku standing like a coward behind his shield, attacking an enraged Inuyasha from a distance.

Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver and took aim at the evil hanyou. She wasn't sure if her arrow could pierce through the barrier or not, but she had to do something. Inuyasha was covered in blood and his haori was shredded. If he wasn't brought to his senses soon, he would bleed out.

"Naraku!" Kagome screamed in rage as she let her arrow fly. Reiki sheathed the arrow in a flash of pink as it soared towards its target. _Please work!_ She prayed as the arrow neared the barrier. Her arrow vanished in a flash of light the moment it would have collided with the arrow, only to reappear inside of it. Her eyes widened in shock as the arrow pierced Naraku's shoulder.

"Nani?" Naraku cried out as his attention turned to the young miko. _Since when did she have this kind of power? This is impossible!_ His left hand pressed tightly against the wound on his right. "Curse you, Onna." In a burst of white light, Naraku disappeared from view.

Kagome slid to her knees the moment Naraku made his escape. The tension building between her shoulder blades slipped away and her grip loosened on her bow. Never in a million years did she think she was ever capable of something as amazing as what she just did. She looked at the palm of her hands and closed her eyes.

_Is this because Kikyo died, and my soul is whole once again? Is this the reason behind my renewed strength?_ _I never wanted power, not like this._ She curled her fingers. _Kikyo's death is not worth this. Damnit, why did she have to die like that?_ A single tear rolled down her face. The miko's emotions were in turmoil over the death of Kikyo, and she didn't know how to deal with it. For the past year, she secretly wished Kikyo would disappear so her and Inuyasha could truly be together, but now? No, she no longer wished Kikyo gone. She had moved on, leaving Inuyasha to Kikyo's care.

An aggressive snarl drew her from her detachment. Kagome opened her sad brown eyes only to be met by the blood red of Inuyasha's. The miko couldn't help but whimper as she scooted away from him. His youki surged around him in a threatening manner, smashing into her own, pure aura.

"Inu…Yasha…" She stuttered in a low whisper.

He cracked his knuckles as he took another step closer to Kagome. Kagome shivered in fear. His nails were coated in Naraku's blood, and she didn't want any part of that spider near her.

"Die." He growled as he swiped his claws at the miko before him.

Kagome screamed in fear as she watched her friends deadly claws race towards her. In an instant, Kagome remembered the incident with Ayame. She was in the exact same position as she was last time. No, this time would be different. She wouldn't let anybody else get hurt trying to save her. _I will save myself!_

Kagome's aura flared around her, erecting a barrier around her small form. Inuyasha's claws scraped harmlessly against the barrier. Kagome let out a sigh of relief. _Thank goodness._ She looked back up at Inuyasha. _I'm sorry._ "Inuyasha…Osuwari!"

The enchanted bead around his neck pulsated before bringing his face to the ground. Kagome repeated the magic word three more times until his body was unable to struggle against her subjugation any longer. His eyes drifted shut, and she watched as his jagged stripes vanished from his face.

Koga, Sango and Miroku landed beside her shortly after Inuyasha fell unconscious. The miko looked up and met the worried gaze of her three companions. "I'm sorry…I had to do something…Naraku was going to kill him…"

"Are you hurt, Kagome?" Koga asked as he helped her to her feet.

Kagome shook her head. "I'm fine, though I can't say the same for Naraku." She took note of the surprised looks on her friends faces and the proud look on Koga's. The miko scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "Oh! Where is Ayame? She should be around here somewhere."

The proud look on Koga's face was short lived as he glanced over his shoulder. Draped over the back of Kirara's back, in front of Sango was an unconscious Ayame. Kagome pushed her mate aside and rushed to the injured ookami.

Ayame's wounds looked as bad as Inuyasha's. Her armor was cracked and the white fur around her waist and shoulders were dyed red with her own blood. Quickly checking for a pulse, Kagome gulped heavily. Her heartbeat was there, but it was faint and fading rapidly.

"Koga! Place Ayame on the ground then rush to the cave and grab the bag with the medical supplies. Miroku find me herbs for pain relief and some to fight infections. Sango, bring me water, Kirara keep guard." Kagome began shouting orders to everybody. Without so much as an argument, everybody scattered in search of their items. She would have made Koga rush Ayame to the caves, but she didn't think Ayame would survive the trip in her condition.

"Hang in there Ayame." Kagome said as she worked on stripping the ookami of her armor. "Don't you dare die on me."


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Ok, I'm done leaving you guys with nasty little cliff hangers! I promise this one does not leaving you hanging. Reviews are always welcome and I also am also partial to sugary treats and large glasses of milk.

Once again, I dedicate this chapter to all of Japan.

-oOoOo-

By the time Sango returned with water, Kagome had stripped the sleeves of her new haori to use as bandages, and Ayame's armor was completely stripped off. "Here you go, Kagome-chan. Is there anything else I can do?" The slayer asked as she knelt beside the working miko.

Kagome nodded her head. "Fetch some fire wood. We will make camp here."

"Very well." She rose to her feet and rushed off to gather wood.

Kagome dipped a piece of cloth into the water and proceeded to clean the blood from the wounds. She grimaced at the largest wound across her stomach. One of Naraku's tentacles had sliced across her abdomen, slicing her open as a sword would. The worst part was the tinge of purple and green around the open area.

"Poison…" Kagome muttered under her breath as she worked harder and faster to clean the wounds. _Koga, hurry with my bag, Ayame has been poisoned. _She directed her thoughts towards her mate, hoping it would work as it did earlier that morning.

The miko sighed as she worked. So much had happened over the course of this morning. It felt as if the incident with the flooding of the caves happened days ago, not a couple of hours. She felt deprived of energy and much needed sleep. She wiped her brow with the back of her hand as she took a deep breath.

_I'm almost there Kagome, hang in there._ Koga's thoughts whispered in her mind. Seconds later, his signature whirlwind appeared and Koga popped out holding her yellow bag.

"Hurry!" Kagome motioned for him to place it beside her. After rinsing her hands in the water, she began pulling out necessary items.

Koga watched with amazement as Kagome worked. Never before had he seen or smelled such materials. She was pouring a liquid that looked much like water, but had a sharp scent to it, over Ayame's wounds. Afterwards, she pulled out a needle and thread and began stitching the largest wound closed.

"Why are you stitching that? It should heal on its own." Koga remarked.

Kagome shook her head, never once stopping. "I don't care whether she is youkai or human, this wound needs closed. With Naraku's poison in her system, she won't be able to heal as quickly. I won't risk her bleeding out or risking infection."

Koga could only shrug since he had no medical knowledge at all. Since Kagome wouldn't hurt Ayame on purpose, he left her to her devises.

From the bottom of the small crater, Inuyasha began to stir. His ears twitched as he focused on the sounds around him, surprised to hear Kagome and the others. With some effort, he managed to pull himself out of his hole. The others, with the exception of Kagome, turned to look at him, apprehension written on their faces.

Koga walked over to him, placing his foot against the hanyou's wounded shoulder. "Stay put Mutt-Face."

"Teme…" Inuyasha growled, but listened to the ookami. He could feel the severity of the wounds across his body. He relaxed against Koga's foot as he decided to roll over on his back. The smell of Kagome's medical supplies caught his nose and his nose twitched. He hated the smell of them, but he couldn't deny their ability to heal.

He readjusted himself so he could see Kagome. She knelt in front of Ayame with a look of concentration plastered on her face. He knew that face, it usually meant bad things, and she was working her hardest to save a life.

"Kagome…will she?" Inuyasha couldn't bring himself to finish his question. The thought of losing Ayame was too much for him to bare so soon after losing Kikyo to Naraku's schemes.

"She'll be fine. I promise, Inuyasha." Kagome stated with confidence.

Miroku, who had recently returned from his herb gathering, knelt beside Inuyasha. "What happened here Inuyasha? By the time we arrived, this place looked like a war zone and Kikyo-sama was already gone from this world."

The hanyou diverted his golden eyes away from the inquisitive violet pools of his best friend. "Everything happened as the storm began brewing in the east. Ayame and I tried to wake Kikyo up, but she wouldn't rouse. Her soul collectors had gone missing, and she was low on souls. We were going to leave before the storm hit here, but Naraku showed up. He had been preventing the soul collectors from reaching Kikyo to keep her in a weakened state." Inuyasha cringed as he recited the events that led to her death. "I tried to protect her, but I couldn't. He reopened the wound on Kikyo's shoulder, injecting her with his miasma. The next thing I knew, her body was enveloped in a blue light. The light left her body to go east."

"That must have been the part of Kagome's soul that was keeping Kikyo attached to this world." Miroku murmured under his breath. When Inuyasha looked slightly confused he went to explain what happened back at the caves when Kikyo's soul merged with Kagome, and how it led them here.

Inuyasha continued his tale. Explaining how Ayame and him fought against Naraku with everything they had, only to end up on the losing end. Ayame wasn't fit to fight with her mind being in a fragile state and she was quickly over come by Naraku's enhanced strength. It was seeing Ayame being cut down that caused his youkai blood to take over. Seeing her laying on the ground, coated in her own blood was enough to send his control out of whack. Not even the power of Tensaiga was enough to keep the youkai blood from emerging. It was then that Inuyasha's memory failed him.

"Kagome is the one that sent Naraku packing. If she hadn't interrupted when she did, both you and Ayame would be dead."

Inuyasha raised his blood coated claws to his face. "I didn't hurt her did I?" He asked, knowing full well what he was capable of while he was in that form.

Miroku shook his head. "No, Kagome was able to subdue your youkai half before any harm was done. Fear not Inuyasha, the only blood on your hands is that of Naraku."

The hanyou turned his head away from his friend, unable to look at him any longer. Too many things were going through his mind. Kikyo, his first true love was gone from this world, and Ayame almost followed close behind. Why was it, her wounds hurt him more than Kikyo's death? Before when he thought she was dead, his heart shattered into millions of unrecognizable pieces. He barely functioned. This time however, he no longer felt anchored down by a rush of emotions. Sure, he still felt the pain of her passing, but it was bearable.

He focused on Ayame's unconscious form and felt his chest tighten. _What is this feeling?_ He asked himself as he brought a clawed hand to his chest. He watched as Kagome finished sewing the wound on her abdomen. She reached into her bag and pulled out the liquid she always gave Miroku when he had taken in poison from Naraku's insects.

The moment the liquid passed through her mouth, Ayame began to stir. Immediately, Inuyasha felt his heart pound heavily and his ears perked.

"Inu…Yasha…" Ayame mumbled as she slowly opened her eyes.

_Her first thoughts are of me?_ He couldn't believe his ears. He would have guessed she would have called for Koga since he was standing only feet away, but no, she called for him.

"I'm here Ayame." He answered.

-oOoOo-

Night had fallen and all of Ayame and Inuyasha's injuries had been cleansed and cared for. As much as Koga disliked the idea, he agreed with his mate to make camp. He didn't want Ayame and Inuyasha so close to Kagome after the last incident, but even he could sense a change in both of them.

He sat on a fallen log in front of the fire, poking the embers with a stick while the slayer and Kagome changed the bandages of the wounded. Thankfully, Kagome had taken to changing Ayame's because he wouldn't be able to sit there and watch as she touched the bare chest of another male, and a rival at that.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief as she pulled the bandages away from the wound on Ayame's torso. The discoloring was gone and it looked like it would heal well.

The miko's body was still running on fumes at this point, and it was miracle she lasted as long as she did trying to take care of two injured youkai. After making the finishing touches on Ayame's bandages, Kagome collapsed.

"Kagome!" The entire camp called her name the moment her body hit the ground.

Koga was at her side in a flash. He shook his head as he scooped her up in his arms and placed her in her abnormal bedroll. "She's fine, only exhausted. After everything that's happened today, it's amazing she didn't collapse sooner." Koga explained.

He had been waiting for something like this to happen. She hadn't eaten much all day and after her battle with Arashi that morning, there was no way she would last the entire night. He had been tempted to force her to rest, but he couldn't bring himself to make her stop. She looked so determined while tending to the wounds of the injured. She took the job seriously despite the bad parting she had with them the last time. Kagome didn't differentiate between friend and foe while she tended to the sick or injured, it was that heart that drew him to her in the first place.

He had kidnapped her upon their first meeting so he could use her to search for the jewel shard held by the Birds of Paradise. At first she was apprehensive about his attentions, but the moment she learned of the chaos the birds were wreaking, she immediately offered her services. He couldn't help but smirk. _She even kept Inuyasha from attacking me while I was down._ He sat beside her, running his clawed fingers through her hair while her body regained its strength.

Inuyasha leaned against a tree watching the attentions Koga was giving Kagome despite her unconscious state. He wanted to be jealous of the wolf, but he couldn't bring himself to actually feel that way. _He treats her with the kindness she deserves. _He noted. _She's a gentle soul and deserves a gentle mate. I could never be there for her like she needs. _His eyes flicker over to the sleeping form of Ayame._ Besides, I think I may have moved on, no matter how bad it looks to the others. Kikyo is were she belongs now and I must move forward. I am not as alone as I thought. Kagome and I may never be, but she is still my friend and I would still put my life on the line for her._

Inuyasha watched as a flicker of pain flashed through Ayame's aura. Despite his wounds, he found himself moving closer to the she-wolf. He still wasn't sure about the feelings in his heart, but he knew she needed comfort. He placed a hesitant hand on top of her auburn head. The moment his hand touched her, her aura flared brightly and her pain seemed to slip away. _She reacts to my touch, even if its only subconsciously._ He felt his amber eyes soften as he watched her sleeping face.

Miroku and Sango watched the strange display of affection Inuyasha was giving Ayame. In all the time they have know him, he's never shown such tender emotions, except in dire situations where Kagome's life was in danger. This was different. He was sitting in a campsite, surrounded by people and he was willing showing Ayame attention. Sure, Ayame was dead to the world and didn't know what was going on, but for Inuyasha to do something so straightforward had everybody confused.

The monk hid a smile as he watched with interest. _I never in a million years would have thought Inuyasha to have developed feelings for another woman other than Kikyo and Kagome-sama. Yet here I am watching the inu comfort ookami. The weirdest part of the whole thing was the fact that Inuyasha was always complaining about the stench of wolves._

He let out a happy sigh as his right hand snaked around behind his fiancé and casually began rubbing her backside. It came to no surprise to him that Sango's hand lashed out and slapped him across the face, leaving a perfect imprint of her hand.


	27. Chapter 27

Three days have passed since the incident with Naraku and his new incarnate and the group found themselves back at the wolf den cleaning up the mess left behind by the flash flood. No lives had been lost during the catastrophe, though many lost all of their possessions. As a pack, the ookami youkai worked together with the help of Kagome and her friends to bring order back to the cave system. The men went out in search of game to restock the destroyed food supplies while the women gathered fruits and vegetables to be dried or canned. Even the children were lending a hand by taking it upon themselves to clean out the muddied caves.

Ayame and Inuyasha had both recovered from their wounds, thought Ayame was still feeling the effects of Naraku's poison. Even with Kagome's remedies, the poison managed to linger in her system, weakening her and slowing her healing process. On Kagome's orders, Ayame was not allowed to help with the cleaning process. She was to stay in the higher caves resting. Though the wolf disagreed, she obeyed her command. Ayame owned the miko her life and she would forever be in her debt.

Even young Shippo was feeling better. His wounds had closed nicely and he no longer suffered from any pain. It was he who led the children in their cleaning of the caves, using his fox magic to aid the progression. Hanabi, Shippo's female friend constantly hovered over him, watching him for any signs of weakness. She couldn't believe that he healed from such serious injuries so fast. Nevertheless, she refused to allow him to strain himself, always telling the other children it was time for a break whenever she felt Shippo needed rest.

Kagome found herself bouncing back and forth between all the different areas, trying to help everybody possible. She too was worried about Shippo's health, but after a quick inspection, she deemed him healthy as a horse and approved of his efforts. The miko also took note of Hanabi shadowing his every step. Kagome smiled. It was nice to see Shippo getting along with the other children. It even seemed to her that he found himself a girlfriend.

Shippo wasn't the only one with a new girlfriend she noticed. Ayame and Inuyasha were acting very cozy with one another. At first she didn't see it as a potential romance in the works, but two companions who had gone through a terrible experience together. As the days went on her opinion changed. She saw Inuyasha hovering over Ayame protectively while she slept, even taking time to show her physical attentions. He would run his hand through her auburn hair, trace his fingers down her arm, or even placing her head in his lap. It warmed Kagome's heart to see Inuyasha acting so mature, though things could be very different now if he had decided to show her attention like that.

Kagome couldn't help but sigh. It was funny how Inuyasha finally sees things in a new light now that Kikyo was dead. If she had never been revived, would he have treated her with such kindness? She shook her head at the thought. No, she wouldn't reminisce on what never happened. She was perfectly happy with Koga. Koga never treated her as second best or compared her powers and usefulness to another. Kagome had always been number one in his book, and that's exactly where she planned on staying.

It wasn't until sundown that everybody stopped for the day. There was still much that needed to be done, but it could wait until morning. It was time for dinner, and Kagome and several of the female youkai managed to pull together a large amount of food.

On top of the cliffs roared a large bonfire. Several different types of meat were set to cook over the fire while others were set out for those who preferred their meat uncooked. Baskets of fruits and vegetables sat out for those who wanted them, while barrels of sake sat on the edge of the gathering for the adults who wished to indulge.

With all of the horrible things that had happened, it had been decided a night of celebration was in order. Not only would it help bring the pack closer, but it would help ease the stress of those affected by the blood waters. For Kagome and her group of friends it was a small reprieve from battle and searching for Naraku. If only for one night, everybody was able to forget about all the bad memories.

The festivities began the moment the hunting party returned with a large bounty of meat. After placing their catch into the new food cellar, the men, including Koga, made their way to the bon fire.

Kagome was too busy handing out plates of food to the children to notice the presence of her mate and let out a girly squeal the moment his arm snaked around her waist from behind.

"What's all this about, my Little Miko?" Koga whispered his question in her ear, sending her heart rate through the roof.

Kagome took a deep breath and forced her body into submission before relaxing against the cold metal of his armor. She tilted her hear to look up into his icy blues and smiled at him. "Sango and I agreed that everybody needed a night to forget about all the bad things."

"I approve." His kissed the top of her forehead. "Though I am surprised the rest of the pack went along with your idea. Last I checked, several of my wolves were still upset about you being Lady of the East."

"Sometimes a disaster is all that is needed to bring people closer together. It's sad that it usually takes bad things to happened before people realize everything isn't as bad as they seem." Kagome said wisely.

"How are things coming anyway?" Koga inquired since he had been gone with the hunting party since the day they arrived back at the den. He felt bad about leaving Kagome alone with the pack, but he felt he needed to be with his hunting party in case Naraku or Arashi made another appearance. Thankfully, everything had gone smoothly.

Kagome pulled out of his embrace and walked towards the fire with Koga in tow. "Well, the food storage is almost full of non meat products and the children have cleaned out most of the caves that were flooded. The only thing really left to do is skin and prepare the meat you brought back for the winter. Also, we can make new bedding and clothing from the furs for those who lost everything."

Taking a plate of food from his mate, Koga couldn't help but smile at her. His pride swelled with everything his miko had accomplished over the past few days. Usually took time for a pack to adjust to a new leader, but his had proved to him he had made the right choice mating with Kagome. Her willingness to put her life on the line for the pack had earned their respect.

He sat in front of the fire, pulling Kagome down beside him. After taking a few bites of the meat, he turned his gaze upon Kagome. She looked exhausted and her clothes looked worse for wear. All of her clothing form her time period were in need of a wash or were ruined beyond repair. She was still wearing the kimono he gave her after the battle with Arashi despite the fact that the sleeves had been used for emergency bandages.

Koga raised his hand in the air, signaling his two loyal friends to come over. Hunting wasn't the only thing he had been doing over the past three days. His mate was in need of proper clothing and it was his job as her alpha to provide her with such materials.

Ginta and Hakkaku approached their prince and princess with large smile on their faces. "Did you bring them?" Koga asked.

They nodded in unison. "Of course Koga!" Ginta replied.

Kagome raised a curious brow. "What is going on?"

With a smirk, Koga motioned for his friends to hand her the parcels they hide behind their backs. Kagome's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the gifts. She was used to Koga bringing her small gifts like flowers and such, but to have him shower her something so large, she was absolutely baffled. Without a second thought, she tore into the wrappings.

Her mouth hung open as the wrapping of the first parcel fell to the ground. Sitting in her lap was a brown fur wrapping much like Koga's alongside a chest plate. The chest plate was similar to Ayame's only instead of pink and black, it was blue and black. She placed the gifts to the side as she stripped the wrapping from her seconds gift. Instead of armor and fur, this one held the garb of the priestess, only the hakama were not red, they were the same sapphire blue as the armor.

Kagome felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked at Koga. "They are amazing, Koga! I love them! Only one question though, why are the hakama blue and not red?"

Koga smirked. "I remember you saying you didn't wear the miko clothing because they reminded you of Kikyo. This way, nobody can confuse you with her."

Placing the second parcel on the ground, she launched herself at Koga. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, she hugged him for all she was worth. "They are absolutely perfect."

Returning her crushing hug, Koga patted her gently on the back. "How about you try them on."

"Oh! That's right, I've been wearing this outfit for days. I must smell terrible! I haven't even had time to get to the hot springs." Kagome exclaimed as he pulled away from Koga, suddenly worried her smell had offended him.

The three ookami youkai couldn't help but burst into laughter. Kagome was never dull to be around, and they were all glad she was here to stay.

"Why don't you head over there now? I'll finish up here then join you." Koga grinned with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

A/N: I apologize for this really short chapter, but I thought the story needed a little break from all the drama. That and I have been really busy trying to beat Pokémon Black AND Dragon Age 2. Both are amazing games and I recommend so far I have been so absorbed I haven't been able to concentrate on writing. For that I do apologize, but I think I have been doing good with getting at least 3 updates a week. So I'm bound to slip up sooner or later.

Also, I do believe I see an end in sight for the story. Don't worry, I am already trying to piece things together for my next story, but I am having difficulties planning anything. With Betrayal I've been writing by the seat of my pants if you get my drift. None of my chapters are planned. I just sit at the computer and type the first thing that comes to mind. I would love to do a Kagome and Sesshomaru pairing, but I'm still not sure. I am open to suggestions if any of you guys have something that you think I should try.

Ja ne!

~Kana~


	28. Chapter 28

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. Autumn had come, leaving the heat of summer far behind and still not a sight or sound from Naraku had been found. The motley group of friends had gathered their supplies and was departing from the wolf den for one final search for Naraku's whereabouts before winter set in.

Over the past few months all of the drama between Inuyasha and Kagome had faded into nothingness and they were soon in each other's good graces. Ayame was still with the hanyou and it came to no surprise to anybody when Inuyasha began courting her officially. Their courting didn't last long before they decided to hell with formalities and skipped right to the mating process.

The only thing keeping all of them from finding true happiness was Naraku. Miroku and Sango were hard pressed to wait for marriage. With all the love in the air, they were beginning to feel left out. Many nights Miroku spent the evening trying to convince Sango that they could marry at any point that they didn't need to wait for Naraku to be destroyed. Many times, Sango had thought the same thing, but she never voiced her opinion to Miroku. She always dragged Kagome to the hot springs to have her much needed girl time. Kagome didn't really see why they were waiting, unless it was to make sure Miroku wouldn't be of any danger to Sango and their potential children in case his Wind Tunnel expanded too far.

Kagome lay awake the night before the departure thinking about Miroku's curse. There had to be something she could do about it. It was placed upon the monk's family generations ago. She looked at her hands. She was a miko and not just any miko at that. She was the most powerful miko in generations, the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. The curse was nothing more than the black magic used by Naraku and she, Kagome, had purification powers.

She sat up from her pile of furs and glanced down at the sleeping Koga. She brushed her fingers against his cheek before leaving the bed. The night was cool and the only light to see by was the large, almost full moon overhead. After taking a deep breath of the refreshing air, she made her way to Miroku's sleeping quarters.

She paused at the entrance, listening to see if he was asleep or awake. If he had indeed fallen asleep, she would have to wait until morning to talk to him. She didn't want to wait that long since it took her this long to gather the courage to speak to him about what was on her mind.

Her eyes widened as sounds drifted to her ears. The rustling of bedding, the soft panting and moans of a woman, on top of all that, the occasional grunt from a male. She clapped her hand over her mouth at the realization of what was happening just inside. Her face turned several dark shades of red before she slid to the ground in embarrassment. Here she was like a pervert, listening in on Miroku and Sango's private moments, but she couldn't bring herself to leave.

_When had things escalated to this? Surely Sango would have told me if she was considering doing this. I wonder…does this mean they plan of marrying now rather than later, or are they just seeking each other's bodies. _Kagome sighed. _Let's just hope she doesn't end up pregnant…_

Several long embarrassing moments later, the noises came to a stop and Kagome found herself breathing a little easier. She waited another ten minutes or so before gathering her body off the ground and placing a gentle knock on the covering.

"Miroku-sama, are you awake?" Kagome asked full well knowing there was no way he was asleep. He was probably leaning against the wall reveling in his conquest. He had been trying to bed Sango for over a year and he finally managed to corner her.

"Kagome-sama? Yes I am, give me a moment to make myself decent. I'll be there in a moment."

Kagome couldn't help but chuckle. _Yes Miroku, clothing would be nice…_

Once dressed, Miroku pulled back the covering and stepped outside, not giving Kagome a change to see into his sleeping area. It took a lot of self control not to push the covering open and point a finger at Sango and tell her how busted she was.

"Is something the matter, Kagome-sama?" Miroku questioned after taking note of the serious, but comical look on the miko's face. _Surely she doesn't know…_

Shaking her mind clear she looked up into Miroku's violet eyes and gave him the biggest smile she could muster. "Let's go somewhere a little more _private."_ Kagome took his hand and pulled him towards the top of the cliffs where the others would be safe in case what she had planned backfired.

Miroku couldn't help but think Kagome knew of his little adventure with Sango, but he didn't dare voice it out loud in case she truly didn't know. Though, where she was taking him so late at night had him curious and a bit nervous. He stayed quiet until they came to a stop at the top of the waterfall.

"What is this about, Kagome-sama?" he asked as he took a seat in front of her on the soft yet cold grass.

"May I see your right hand?"

"Uh…sure." He placed his cursed hand into her smaller hands, curious as to what she was planning.

"I've been thinking about this for some time now. Your wind tunnel is nothing more than a curse placed on you and your family by Naraku. Who better to break a curse than a miko?" She gave him a comforting smile.

"Take no offense, Kagome-sama, but I do not think it is within your power to remove my family curse. If I thought it possible I would have confronted you sooner." Miroku said sadly as he attempted to take his hand from Kagome.

Her grip on his hand tightened."Please, Miroku-sama let me try, if not for you, for Sango-chan. I know how hard all of this is for you two and as two of my best friends, I just want you to live happily. If this curse is the only thing keeping you two from marrying then let me try."

Looking into her eyes, Miroku was finding it hard to turn her away. She did have a point, his curse was placed on him by Naraku who was nothing more than a hanyou, and Kagome held the power to purify youkai. After letting out a deep sigh, he decided it wouldn't hurt to try.

"I suppose I could give it a try." His expression turned deadly serious. "If something happens and it gets dangerous, promise me you will leave."

Kagome could only nod her head. She knew this was a possibility, but if they didn't find and destroy Naraku soon; the Wind Tunnel would expand and claim his life and everybody in the vicinity.

She summoned her reiki as she removed the prayer beads that were used to keep the void at bay. The moment her hand touch the flesh of his hand, she could feel the curse pushing at her invading powers. Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on the curse, trying to find the source of power. She struggled to keep her reiki in Miroku's Wind Tunnel. Naraku's curse was definitely a potent one, and she was having problems containing its destructive powers.

Miroku watched carefully as sweat built up on Kagome's brow. Her warm spiritual powers flooded his body; filling him with warmth he had only seen flare in the miko's aura. It amazed him that even after mating a youkai and having him mark her as his, that her powers were still as potent as they were. Over the past couple of months he had been working with her on her control, but during their training, he learned quickly that there was much more to the girl than he originally thought. The moment Kagome's soul was whole once more, her reiki exploded in its potency, as if that one missing piece of her soul had sealed her true powers. It was very possible that Kagome could pull this miracle off.

The miko pushed harder against the power of the curse. Wrapping it in a warm pink light, she followed the trail of power. It led far away from Miroku and into a dark forest coated in evil. Kagome didn't know how she was able to see or even know this, but she went with it. She searched the dark forest, only to be confronted with a dark evil.

Kagome would have gasped in surprise had she had not allowed her powers to carry her from her body. She looked down at herself to see her body; only instead of flesh and blood she held a spirit form. Praying that the person in front of her couldn't see her, she met his ruby gaze.

_Naraku._ She growled. Summoning all of her power, she launched an attack on the connection that linked Miroku and Naraku together. She could feel Naraku's eyes on her, though she was sure he was looking through her and not actually at her. _Take this you stupid no good bastard! _With one final flare of her power, she felt the connection snap.

Miroku stared in wonder as Kagome's body began to glow a brilliant pink. With a final flare of her aura, she released his hand and fell to the side, seemingly unconscious. Worried about his friend he reached out to shake her, only to be overcome with an unbearable pain in his hand. He clutched desperately at his wrist, as he brought the palm of his hand to his face. The dark abyss that had been with him all his life was swirling with Kagome's reiki. Not a second later, the hole snapped shut.

His jaw dropped open as the pain left. She had done it. The curse was gone. He returned his attention to the unconscious Kagome. Using his left hand, just in case it was only temporary, he shook her gently.

Her eyes squeezed shut before fluttering open. The look of happiness on Miroku's face was enough to tell her she had succeeded in her quest. "It worked?" She asked as she sat up.

Miroku nodded as he pulled her into a hug. Normally he would have let his hands wander over her body, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He owned this woman his very life. "I don't know how I will ever repay you, Kagome-sama."

Sleepily, Kagome smiled. "I do. Go back to Sango, she must be worried." With that said, she stood up and slowly made her way back to her bed. Her body was drained and with their adventure starting in the morning, she needed sleep.

She couldn't stop the smirk that appeared on her face. _Naraku, I know where you are. Be wary because we are coming for you and the jewel. You final hour is rapidly approaching._

-oOoOo-

Kagome was woken suddenly by a pressing weight on her stomach. Her eyes shot open thinking the worse, only to be confronted by a very exuberant Sango. Tears of joy streaked her face as the slayer lifted Kagome from her bed and enveloped her in a rib-crushing hug.

"I can't ever thank you enough, Kagome-chan!" Sango cried.

Patting her sister on the back, she whispered, "You don't have to apologize, Sango-chan. Just do me one little favor."

Sango pulled away, eager to do whatever it was Kagome was going to ask of her. She owed the miko everything. "What would that be?"

Kagome couldn't keep the devious grin off her face. "Next time you and Miroku decide to have 'alone time' keep it down."

Catching the innuendo, Sango turned several shades of unnatural red before scrambling away from her sister. "You mean…you know…you heard?"

Kagome nodded seriously. "If I heard you then imagine what the wolves heard…" She couldn't help but play off her friends' embarrassment a little bit. In all honesty she hadn't heard a thing until she was right at the door, but Sango didn't know that.

The slayer covered her face with her hands. "How embarrassing!"

Kagome couldn't take it anymore, she fell over with laughter. "Sango, I'm only joking! I just happened to be passing by when I accidently heard stuff! No need to worry about the wolves anyway. They were all passed out."

It was at that point when Koga made his appearance. "Just because we didn't hear anything didn't mean we can't smell it." He wrinkled his nose in fake disgust.

"Oh not you too, Koga!" Sango cried. "You guys are so unfair!"

Koga and Kagome laughed. "Don't worry, we did the same thing to Mutt-Face and Ayame." Koga grinned.

Ginta and Hakkaku made their way into the caves huffing and puffing like they had run a marathon, which was highly possible. "Everything is ready!"

"Good. Let's head out." Koga said before looking between Kagome and Sango. This was going to be their last trip until winter passed and they needed to find Naraku soon.

"We head west." Kagome stated. "Naraku is in the west, though why he would hide so close to Sesshomaru's territory is beyond me."

All of them stopped and stared at Kagome, wondering how she knew this, but none of them questioned her. If she had a lead, they would follow it, even if it ended up being a false trail. It was more information than they had when the sun broke over the horizon, and they would go with it.

-oOoOo-

A/N: Yay for Miroku! I don't know where the idea for his chapter came from but here you go. Also I have posted the first chapter/prologue of my new kag/sessh story, The Unexpected Miko. Please review it and tell me what you think of it!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait between chapters, but I swear to god it is not my fault! For the past couple of weeks I was receiving an error message whenever i went to update my stories. For that I am sorry, but here is the long awaited chapter

* * *

The sun was high in the sky and the temperature was the warmest it had been in a week. Kagome stretched her arms to the sides, taking in the warm rays. Despite the fact that they were nearing Naraku's location with each passing moment, Kagome couldn't help but feel joyous. Her great adventure was almost at a close. No more searching for jewel shards or fending off hordes of Naraku's minions. She could move on with her life. It still saddened her that she could no longer travel through the well and visit her family, but she knew everything happened for a reason. It was certain that this time period was where she belonged and not the one she was born into. Why else would she be able to travel back five hundred years in the past.

If she never fell through the well, the Shikon no Tama would have remained dormant in her body, never to be shattered into dozens of shards. There had been a purpose to her shattering the jewel. It had brought her amazing friends and even her mate, Koga. Though if anybody would have told her that she'd be mated to Koga and the well would have to be destroyed, she would have never believed them.

Her eyes wondered over her group, taking note of the closeness of everybody. Miroku and Sango were all but clinging to each other as they lingered in the back. Inuyasha and Ayame had taken point. They weren't as touchy as the monk and slayer, but their hands would brush against each others or they would turn and stare into each others eyes. It was nothing short of romantic. It made Kagome's heart swell with pride. Her immature Inuyasha was finally growing up.

Ginta and Hakkaku were mulling around beside Koga, separating her from his side, but she didn't mind. Narrowing her eyes in thought, Kagome decided those two needed to find themselves somebody to love. Bringing her pointer finger to her chin she began sorting through the list of females that she thought would compliment their personalities.

"I know that look. What are you scheming Kagome?" Koga inquired the moment he noticed the gears turning in her mind.

"Huh?" She dropped her hand to her side and blinked at Koga, missing every word.

Face palming his forehead, Koga repeated himself. "What are you scheming now?"

Her sepia eyes twinkled with mischief. "Nothing." She turned her gaze back to the path in front of them, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Koga.

Koga raised an eyebrow in her direction, not buying it for a single second. Instead of persisting out loud, he resorting to conversing with her through their ever strengthening bond.

_You can't fool me, Little Mate. I know that look and it usually means something dangerous._

The miko's eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard by the voice teasing her mind. She flickered her gaze to Koga out of the corner of her eye. _Iie, Koga. It's nothing dangerous I promise!_

_Uh-huh, then why the look? Last time you had that look in your eye you cornered me in the den and threatened my tail if I didn't help clean the caves._

Kagome couldn't help but laugh out loud at the memory. The rest of the group cast weary glances at their friend, wondering secretly if she had lost her mind. They were used to her random outbursts, but it never ceased to confuse them.

_It was only natural that you help clean, hell you were responsible for half the mess in the first place!_

_I'm Prince of the Eastern Tribe, I shouldn't have to clean!_

_So, I'm Princess now and I say you clean up after yourself!_

_But I had a major hangover, that was just plain cruel._

Ginta and Hakkaku watched Koga and Kagome stare at each other like they were having an old argument. Knowing them, they probably were. Their mating bond was stronger than usual and it wasn't unusual for them to argue without anybody else knowing about it until Kagome forgot they weren't speaking out loud. And judging by the look on Kagome's face, she was about to forget once more.

"You wouldn't have had a hang over if you didn't stay up all night drinking with the guys!" Kagome shouted with a hint of amusement in her voice. They weren't really arguing, just playful banter.

Inuyasha and Ayame stopped in their tracks to look back at the miko. "Kagome, what the hell are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked with a raised eye brow.

Immediately Kagome's face flushed deep red. She had done it again and by the amused looks on Ginta and Hakkaku's face, they had been expecting it. Giving off an impressive growl, she stormed past Inuyasha and Ayame, wanting to be ahead of all of the laughing stares she was receiving.

-oOoOo-

Night had finally fallen and the remnants of dinner were being cleaned up. The rest of the days travels had been very amusing at the expense of Kagome. She wanted to be mad and frustrated at her friends teasing, but she couldn't help but find it just as funny.

Kagome was putting the last of the dishes into her bag when she caught a faint youkai aura. It was a fair distance away, but it was powerful enough to set her aura off defensively.

Koga took note of Kagome's flashing aura and stepped up beside her. "What is it Kagome?"

She stood up straight and shook her head. "I don't know yet, it's too far away for tell. All I know is its somebody powerful."

"Keh, bring it on! Nobody would stand a chance against us." Inuyasha barked confidently despite the fact that his hand instinctively reached for Tensaiga.

The group went back to cleaning up their camp, deciding to ignore the approaching youkai until they were close enough to deal with it. It didn't take long for Koga to growl under his breath.

"I know that scent."

"Who is it then?" Inuyasha asked impatiently. He still couldn't pick up the scent and it bothered him that Koga could. He glanced at Ayame, noting that she could also smell whoever it was that was approaching.

"I don't know." Ayame shook her head. "The scent is unfamiliar."

Koga chuckled under his breath. "This could be interesting." He flicked his eyes over to the hanyou. "It seems we will be having a family reunion."

Inuyasha was confused until the wind shifted, bringing the scent to his nose. Immediately, a growl erupted from his throat. "Sesshomaru…"

The moment the daiyoukai's name escaped the hanyou's mouth, said youkai walked through the trees, making himself visible to the group. The stoic lord's liquid gold eyes focused on his half brother. The look of disgust was apparent in his gaze, but he didn't show signs of aggression.

Koga stepped protectively in front of Kagome as Inuyasha did the same to Ayame. "What do you want, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha demanded.

"The location of Naraku." He said simply.

"Why should I tell you?" Inuyasha growled.

Kagome couldn't help but let out a frustrated sigh. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had a lot of issues to work out, but now was not the time. If they were going to be fighting against Naraku within the next few days, Sesshomaru's strength would be much needed. He was the most powerful youkai in Japan. Taking a deep breath, the miko stepped out from behind Koga.

"He is roughly three days to the west of here."

"Kagome." Koga sighed. The Inu Youkai had a deep disdain for humans, and Koga didn't trust Kagome around him. Her proud attitude and sharp mouth would surely piss the inu off to the point of him trying to kill her. If that happened, he doubted he could protect Kagome. He may be a powerful ookami, but against the Great lord Sesshomaru, he wouldn't last five minutes.

Sesshomaru turned his gaze to the little onna that he always assumed to be Inuyasha's wench. She was changed. The most obvious of her changes were her clothing. Before, she always wore a very indecent kimono. Now she wore the traditional miko garb, only the hakama were blue instead of red. He had to admit, the clothing suited her much better.

Her miko powers had grown exponentially and she smelled of wolf. It wasn't the scent of only traveling in the same company as wolves, she had mated the young prince. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, but it did. His worthless hanyou brother treated her with complete disrespect. It would seem she had grown tired of his antics and moved on.

Mentally brushing off his wandering thoughts, he gave the miko the barest of nods. "This Sesshomaru will be the one to end Naraku's pathetic life, not the likes of you." He stated to Inuyasha before taking his leave of the motley group.

As quickly as the daiyoukai came, he was gone. The group let out a collective sigh of relief. They had been certain, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were going to battle it out like they usually did when the inu youkai made an appearance.

The only one who wasn't satisfied was Inuyasha. He stormed over to Kagome. "Why did you tell him?"

Kagome glared at Inuyasha with a narrowed gaze. She brought her pointer finger to his chest. "He has every right to be there for the fight as we do, Inuyasha. In case you haven't noticed, Naraku's been harassing him as well!"

"But!"

"Inuyasha…" The hanyou's ears flattened to the top of his head the moment his name left her mouth. He knew that tone. "Osuwari!" Inuyasha let out a yelp the moment his face became reacquainted with Earth.

-oOoOo-

Kagome lay awake staring up at the starless sky unable to sleep. She could feel the evil emanating from the forest up ahead. Naraku was closer than they thought, and he knew they were approaching. Without a doubt, they would meet with Naraku face to face tomorrow afternoon. At least Sesshomaru will be there, that will help things greatly. She sighed deeply before cuddling against Koga. _This is it, the final battle. Kami above, keep by friends and family safe._

-oOoOo-

A/N: Things are starting to heat up as they approach Naraku. Since I don't have any of my chapter prewritten, I have no idea what the final outcome will be. Hell I haven't even decided if everybody will live through the final encounter. If you have any suggestions I am willing to take them into consideration!

~Kana~


	30. Chapter 30

Kagome's predictions had been correct. Just before midday their group had been overrun by a large group of minor youkai followed quickly by Naraku and his remaining incarnations. There was no room for quarter, no terms were given, only the need for blood. Trees lay in shambles across the battle field, all animal life had scurried long ago, afraid of the overwhelming youki. The only ones remaining in the new clearing were Naraku's evil and Kagome's companions. This was it, the final battle. There would be no time to run and hide, everything would draw to an end before the sun set. It was all or nothing for the motley crew. They would not allow Naraku to escape them this time.

Bodies of youkai littered the ground, their evil seeping into the earth. The only thing that kept the land from being corrupted was the presence of the single most powerful miko of all the ages standing proudly in the middle of the battle field, firing holy arrows at anything that showed hostility.

The miko wanted to go after Naraku more than anything, but she couldn't leave her current location for fear of the youkai overwhelming the monk that stood several feet behind her. He no longer had the wind tunnel in his right hand and he would run out of sutras soon enough. For the first time since removing his curse, she regretted it. It would have come in handy right about now.

The sound of insects buzzing in large quantities caught her attention. Turning her head, she caught sight of a massive colony of Naraku's pet insects. _I guess its better this way. Miroku would have used his wind tunnel despite the presence of the saimyosho to protect Sango._ She grabbed an arrow from her quickly diminishing supply and purified the saimyosho.

Taking note that she only had four arrows remaining, Kagome scanned the battle field in search of her other companions. Ayame and Inuyasha were tag teaming against Byakuya while Koga and Arashi battled. Looking across at the battle field she realized they were missing somebody. Sesshomaru had yet to make his presence known. With a scowl she placed her bow on her back and drew her sword. _Stupid ignorant dog. Doesn't want to dirty his hands with the little guys. I'll bet my first born child that he doesn't show up until all the smaller youkai are gone._

Slicing through a small snake youkai, Kagome made her way over to Miroku and Sango. They were having the most difficulties with the large numbers of youkai heading their way.

"Stay behind me." Kagome ordered. Her friends complied without hesitation. Once they were safely behind her, Kagome focused her reiki into the blade of her sword, forming an orb of energy at the tip of the blade.

"Wow Kagome. I didn't know you could do that!" Sango exclaimed.

"Miroku and I have been working on it for about a month now. We thought something like this would come in handy in case I ran out of arrows." Kagome explained casting a wink in Miroku's direction.

"I know, I'm a genius." Miroku grinned.

"Uh…Kagome, are you planning on firing that thing?" Sango asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you might want to do it and fast." Sango pointed at the incoming youkai.

Sure enough they were almost in striking distance. With a girly yip, Kagome fired the blast of reiki at the youkai, incinerating all of them on contact. "Sorry 'bout that!" She apologized.

_Kagome! _

The miko's head snapped in Koga's direction the moment his rushed voice entered her mind. She spotted him dancing around Arashi, barely able to dodge the bolts of lightning erupting from her trident. She cast a weary glance at her friends before rushing in Koga's direction. _I'm coming! _She felt bad leaving Sango and Miroku, but she couldn't stand there and watch as Koga struggled to defeat his enemy. She remembered how fast the storm youkai was and she was not about to let the demoness hurt a single hair of Koga's head.

Kagome skidded to a halt beside Koga the moment another lightning bolt was shot from her weapon. Instead of trying to dodge the attack, Kagome erected a barrier around the two of them. The lightning snapped and crackled as it bore down on the shield, trying to find a way to penetrate the new defense.

"You." Arashi snarled as her eyes fell upon the miko. She remembered clearly what happened during their last encounter. The human managed to deflect her most powerful attack. Things would be different this time, she would not lose.

"We've had this dance before, Arashi, do you really think you can win?" Kagome asked, taunting the youkai with her confidence.

"Luck was on your side that day, Onna. This time it will not be so!" Tendrils of electricity exploded from Arashi's body, frying all the lingering youkai. Her power licked at Kagome's shield, still searching for the one weak spot. Everything had one, and this would be no exception.

"You are not getting past my barrier, Arashi. You couldn't do it before and you certainly can't do it now." Kagome stated.

"Do not hope to fool me, Human. Everybody has a weak spot and that includes you. I _will_ find it!" The storm youkai growled as she pushed harder against the barrier. Something was different this time. The energy was a sickeningly bright pink and there wasn't a trace of the ookami's energy. Before it had been the wolf's youki that pushed her back, not the miko's. How was she able to fend off the attack so easily now? What had changed?

Tiring of the youkai's banter, Kagome pulled her bow off her back and readied an arrow. This arrow had to hit the mark. She only had three left after this one and she still had Naraku to contend with. "Time to die, Arashi." Kagome growled as she let the arrow fly.

The storm youkai attempted to step out of the arrows trajectory, only to have the arrow disappear and reappear inches from her breast. With a scream of rage, Arashi exploded in a cloud of ash.

Across the battlefield a similar cry rang out. Kagome and Koga looked over to see Inuyasha standing victorious over the body of Byakuya with Ayame not far away. Both of them looked a bit worse for wear, but neither seemed injured. She glanced back over to Sango and Miroku to see them standing victorious over several youkai corpses with Kirara close behind.

She felt her heart lift at the sight of her friends all unscathed, but there was something missing. She glanced up at Koga. He was searching the battle field for something as well and the look on his face was not pleasant.

"Koga? What's the matter?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Ginta. Hakkaku. I don't see them." He replied with a growl.

Her eyes widened. How could she forget about them? Had she been so involved with the battle it slipped her mind that Koga's loyal friends had joined them in this battle? Kagome shook her head with disbelief. _Focus Kagome, you can find them. Concentrate!_ She closed her eyes and let her reiki flow from her body over the battlefield

_There!_ She felt their youki flickering north of the battlefield where Naraku and Kanna had taken refuge during the battle. Her eyes shot open and she found herself sprinting in that direction.

"Kagome!" Koga shouted as he rushed to catch up with her. "What's the matter? Did you find them?"

"They are with Naraku!" She shouted without pausing to look at the expression on his face.

Koga almost stopped mid run. This could not be happening. The nightmares that haunted his dreams after his encounter with the demonic roots flashed through his mind. He had lost both of them in that nightmare.

(Koga's Dream)

_The stench of smoke, blood and other bodily fluids hung in the air, burning the sensitive nose of the wolf prince. Standing on top of a small hill, he overlooked the field of bodies, humans and youkai alike, all gathered together to bring down the destructive spider hanyou. Several scents caught his attention as the battle raged on to the north of the field. Kagome and her friends stood together before Naraku, ready to put an end to the nightmares. Standing amongst them was the inu hanyou clad in the robe of the fire rat. _

_Koga repressed a growl as he glanced over his shoulder where his two best friends usually stood. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Amongst the bodies were two youkai dressed in brown wolf furs. Shaking his head in disbelief, he stumbled backwards. _

"_Ginta…Hakkaku…no…" He babbled, unable to form a coherent sentence. How had this happened? How had he wound up here in this battlefield of death? Where was he when his friends fell, why didn't he save them? All these questions and more coiled around in his mind like a snake, restricting his thought processes, blinding him to everything but the hanyou responsible. His eyes bled a ferocious red and his nails and canines elongated. _

_In a flash of inhuman speed, powered by the jewel shards in his legs, he sped towards his enemy. He drew his right hand back as he called upon the strength of his Goraishi. Before Naraku could react, Koga's claws ripped through his flesh, sending bits and pieces scattering across the ground. _

"_You will die for what you have done, Naraku!" Koga howled with fury as he swung once more. His mind was clouded by such rage he missed the devious smile that filled Naraku's face moments before his claws connected for a second time._

"_Koga stop! He's going to try and absorb you and your jewel shards!"_

_The melodic voice pulled Koga's mind from his frenzy. He jumped away from Naraku and spared a glance in the direction of Kagome. She held her bow tight enough her knuckles were white and her soft brown eyes wide and fill with tears. He didn't understand the reason behind her tears. Were they for him? Was she that worried about his safety? _

"_Koga!" She screamed._

_The chunks of flesh scattered around Koga, launching themselves towards him, grabbing him around the ankles and holding the young prince in place. With a ferocious snarl, he slashed at the flesh, only to have his wrists bound as well. The jewel shards pulsated, reacting to the miasma seeping out of the ookami's bounds. Koga felt the evil seeping into the jewel, corrupting the pure light of his shards, He had to do something and fast!_

"_Koga!" Kagome screamed his name once again, only she was running towards him with no regard for her own safety. _

"_Stay back Kagome!" Koga growled at her while trying to fight the corruption that was emanating from the jewel. _

_The miko could only shake her head in refusal. "No! I can purify the shards!" She dropped to her knees before him, her hands grabbing a hold of Naraku's flesh. He could feel the taint begin to dissipate. "Just a little longer!"_

"_Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled._

_Koga turned his head to see what Mutt-Face was yelling about. He struggled against his restraints. He had to move! He had to save his woman! "Kagome!"_

_The miko looked over to see Naraku launching a tendril towards her, the tip narrowing to a point. Without a doubt, that piece of flesh would pierce her body. Koga felt the flesh around his wrists and ankles begin to loosen, but it was too late. Kagome's ear piercing scream filled the air as the tendril embedded itself into her chest. _

_With a howl of rage and horror, he broke free. His arms wrapped around his little miko as she crumbled to the ground, the tendril already leaving her body. Her now red top was dripping with so much blood he knew she would not survive. There was no way for a human to recover from such a terrible wound._

"_Ko-Koga…" Kagome murmured his name as she tried to touch his face. "Gomen…" Her arms went slack and her hand fell to the ground._

(End Dream)

He dug his claws into the palm of his hands. _No, I will save them. I will not let Naraku and his goons take anything else away from me._ He took off running once more, determination apparent in his features. _Hang in there guys, I'm coming._


	31. Chapter 31

Kagome stood, fists held tightly at her sides. Standing before her was Naraku and Kanna, holding poor Ginta and Hakkaku hostage inside a small barrier. Koga stood at her side torn between staying at Kagome's side and rushing in to save his friends. He remembered his nightmares well and knew the consequences for losing himself to his blood lust. Something needed to be done though; he couldn't stand idly by while Naraku held his pack members hostage. He tossed a hastened glance to his left where the rest of their comrades had gathered, even Sesshomaru was present.

It surprised him more than anything when he spotted Inuyasha and Ayame standing so close. Even more so that Inuyasha had yet to lose his temper. For once the inu hanyou stood quiet. It would do none of them any good if the hanyou lost his cool and began shooting off his mouth. For all he knew it would hasten Naraku's plans. His attentions were drawn back to his mate the moment she took a step towards the spider.

"Release them, Naraku." The miko demanded in low urgent tones. Koga could feel the hatred and malice flowing from every pore of her small body. Kagome pulled her bow from her back and readied an arrow.

The kumo's entertained chuckles filled the air as he looked down upon the threatening miko. Did the priestess not realize she didn't have the power to hurt him? She may have gotten lucky all those months ago, but he was ready for her this time. Was she willing to pay the price of firing one her holy arrows? Was it truly worth the life of her friends?

"Or you'll do what Miko, fire one of your arrows?" A tentacle flowed from his body and stretched towards the two trapped ookami. "Do you truly think you can kill me before I take out your precious friends?"

Kagome's resolve wavered momentarily, only to have Koga place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't let him get to you Kagome. If anybody can do this, it's you."

Without so much as sparing Koga a thankful glance, she bobbed her head. "Thank you, Koga." Her resolve strong once more, she pulled the bowstring taut. Sending a prayer to the Kami above, she let her arrow loose.

Naraku's eyes widened slightly at the reiki revolving around her small arrow. It was more potent than it had been before, and for the first time, Naraku was afraid for his life. His crimson eyes flickered to Kanna, giving her the signal to advance with their plan. He knew Kagome would fire, but the power behind it was truly shocking. If all went well, there would be casualties on both sides. He caught the acknowledgement from his most loyal incarnation the moment the arrow flew past his otherwise impenetrable barrier. His body was engulfed in the purification powers of the miko before him, rendering him to nothing more than a pile of purified ashes on the ground.

Everybody stared in amazement as the evil hanyou perished before their eyes. The only thing left of the hanyou was the almost completed Shikon no Tama lying on top of his remains, glittering with the bright pink of Kagome's powers, all traces evil that had manifested inside the jewel, gone. Before everybody could breathe a sigh of relief, a strangled cry erupted from the now dissolved barrier holding the two wolves.

In collective horror, the small group turned to face Ginta and Hakkaku. Standing before them was the white void child, holding her mirror before her, drawing in the soul of none other than Hakkaku.

Koga's blood boiled over, tinting his vision red. His nails and canines elongated as he launched himself from his spot beside Kagome. No, he wouldn't lose his friend now that Naraku had finally been destroyed. He wanted nothing more than to throw his arm around Kagome and celebrate late into the night. He vowed to his pack that he wouldn't let Naraku take another from their ranks. He was their leader, they depended on his to keep his word and protect them.

Blood pounded in the prince's head, dulling him to everything but the sight of the void youkai before him. His skin pulled taunt with the need to shed his human appearance. His beast wanted free, it had been a long time since he had roamed the earth in his true form. With a deep resonating growl, Koga shed his human guise, allowing himself to fall to the ground on all fours.

Kagome and the rest of her friends gasped in shock the moment Koga's youki exploded around him. Kagome had seen this once before when she was still new to this era. Standing in the grave of the Inu no Taicho, Sesshomaru had been angered beyond repair and revealed his true form. At the time she could remember the oppressive feel of his power beating down on her and the fear that came with it. This was different. She no longer feared the true form of youkai. In fact she was impressed with the sheer size of Koga's true form.

Only seconds had passed and yet it seemed like an eternity as she stared in shock and awe. He didn't stand as tall as Sesshomaru, but he stood as tall as most one story houses back in her time. His fur was a deep mahogany and his eyes an angry red. If the situation had been different she would have approached him in attempt to touch the soft looking fur, but this was not the time.

The snapping of bone and tendon had Kagome on the ground, her stomach reeling. She turned her eyes away from the majestic beauty of Koga as he tore into Kanna's body. She understood his need for revenge, but she couldn't stomach the sounds that came with it. The sound came over her once more and she found herself expelling the contents of her stomach.

Sango took note of her sister's condition and knelt in the grass beside her, holding her hair away from her face. The sight sickened the slayer as well, but she was used to such gory sights. The moment Kagome was done emptying the contents of her stomach, Sango pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing her back gently.

Taking refuge in Sango's arms, Kagome let her tears fall down her face. She hated battle and war; it was too much for her stomach and heart to bear. She knew coming into this that they may not all make it out alive, but that was the chance they all took. Naraku's death was necessary, despite the losses they would take. With him gone, the world could go back to being as peaceful as it ever was.

The sound of ripping flesh and bone was followed by the mournful cry of a wolf. Goosebumps erupted across Kagome's arms and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She pulled out of Sango's embrace to look to where Koga had his head turned to the sky, letting his sorrow fill the air. No longer afraid, Kagome rose to her feet and ran towards her mourning mate. The bloody sight of Kanna's remains didn't even give her pause.

She came to a stop at the lifeless body of Hakkaku and she felt sadness overwhelm her body. Between the mournful cry of Koga and the sight of Hakkaku lying in Ginta's arms was too much for her to take. The miko dropped to her knees beside the crying Ginta and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. Pulling his head against her shoulder, she let the sobs wrack her body. Naraku was dead, but he had been right, she hadn't been able to kill him without losing her friend. This was all her fault.

She stayed wrapped around Ginta until she felt the cold dampness of a wolf's nose against the side of her face. Instinctively knowing it was Koga, her hand moved to rub the soft fur of his muzzle. With a whimper, Koga laid beside his comrades and mate, wrapping them in the warmth of his fur.

The rest of the group watched the display with tears staining their eyes. Even Inuyasha was moved by the sight before him. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Kagome and tell her everything was alright, but he knew in the end that was Koga's job. The distinctive sound of Ayame's sniffles brought his attention to her. They were her comrades as well, so it was no surprise that she felt the death as deeply as Koga and Ginta. He draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled his mate into his tight embrace.

Night quickly fell upon the desolate battlefield. Koga had long since returned to his human guise and was still holding a crying Kagome. It tore at his heart to see her in this state, but there was nothing he could do or say to make her feel better. He could smell the shame and guilt thick upon her scent. She was blaming herself for Hakkaku's death.

The group's silence was broken when Miroku made his way over to Koga. He knelt beside the wolf and Kagome. "Allow me to say a prayer to ease his passing."

Kagome pulled her tear soaked face from Koga's armor and met the monk's violet eyes. She gave him the barest of nods. "He would like that, I think." She whispered.

And so it began. Miroku spoke a prayer in memory of the brave ookami as the others gathered wood for a funeral pyre. Placing Hakkaku's body upon the pyre, everybody took turns saying their goodbyes. Ginta lingered the longest, but nobody could blame him. They had been brothers in arms for as long as they were able to walk.

Once everybody had said their peace, Koga stepped forward holding a torch. With once final farewell, he tossed the torch into the pyre.


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: To answer one of the questions asked, yeah, Kagome could have released the soul from the mirror, but seeing one of your friends in that condition, would she honestly think that? In my opinion she would be to distraught to think like that. I'm sorry if this upsets anybody, I was just in a sad mood when I wrote that chapter, so it mirrors my own emotions.

-oOoOo-

Several days had passed since the final encounter with Naraku and the group found themselves back at the wolf den, delivering the news to the rest of the pack. Emotions were mixed during the meeting. All were happy and relieved Naraku was dead, but were sad because of the losses they have endured over the spiders reign on terror. The only task that remained was completing the Shikon no Tama. Three shards remained, two of which were in Koga's possession.

Once the gathering dispersed, Sango approached Kagome with a solemn look on her face.

"What's the matter Sango?" Kagome asked, full well knowing what would put such a look on her face.

"It's Kohaku. If we remove the shard he will die…Is there a way to avoid that? Must the jewel be completed?" Tears glistened in the corner of the slayers eyes.

Kagome took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. That had been bothering her as well. She didn't want to see Kohaku die any more than Sango, but the jewel had to be completed so she could rid the world of its power forever. As long as Kohaku had the shard he would be in danger from youkai who coveted its power.

"The jewel must be completed, Sango-chan, but if there is a way to keep your brother alive, I am willing to give it a shot. Heck, I managed to cure Miroku of his curse, maybe I can keep Kohaku alive." Kagome smiled.

The slayer wasn't sure whether to be happy or upset with Kagome's words. She said she would try to keep her little brother alive, but she also said the jewel had to be made whole. Sango understood the reasoning behind her words, but she couldn't bear the thought of losing her brother. It was bad enough losing him to Naraku's control, but he was free from that now, and she needed to find him.

Kagome placed her hand on Sango's shoulder. "Hey, let's get out of here where we can speak more privately."

"Sure." The slayer nodded her head.

The two girls walked through the mass of youkai until they were finally alone in the small wooded area that housed the hot springs. After stripping their clothes, both girls slipped into the warm water.

"How do you plan on saving Kohaku?"

Slipping further into the water, Kagome looked up at Sango. "I'm not sure yet, but I'm pretty sure I can save him. The jewel shard is supposedly what is keeping him alive, but the wound that should have killed him healed a long time ago. I'm not totally convinced that he will die."

Sango seemed to ponder the idea. "You have a point, but why would Naraku make it blatantly clear that the jewel was sustaining his life?"

"Because that is who Naraku is. He got off on our dilemmas. That way we would be too afraid to take the jewel shard from his back. It was the only thing keeping Kohaku under his control." Kagome explained her reasoning. The thought came to her a while back, but it never seemed important with everything happening around her. Even if it seemed important, her powers weren't developed enough to explore the idea further. If the jewel was sustaining him, there would have been no way for her to keep him alive. It was different now. Her soul was complete and she had been training vigorously with Miroku for months. Her powers were developed enough now that she could use her reiki to heal wounds.

"I never thought of that." Sango noted as she lowered herself into the warmth of the water, allowing her long dark brown hair flow out behind her. She reclined against a smooth rock and stared up at the stars. "Nothing seems to have changed now that Naraku is dead. The people we lost are still gone, and the memories remain. Will he haunt us even beyond he grave?"

"Everything will return to normal eventually, but it will take time. Just think though, now that he is gone, there is absolutely nothing stopping you and Miroku from getting married."

Sango couldn't stop the blush that creeped upon her face. "I still can't believe you heard us."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle. "Don't worry about it! I'm sure the entire wolf pack heard Koga and I during our first time since they were all wide awake and hanging around the bonfire."

Sango's eyes widened slightly. "Wow! I could never do something like that with so many people around."

It was Kagome's turn to blush. "It wasn't like I could turn him down…"

-oOoOo-

Back at Kaede's village near the Sacred Tree, Kagome, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shippo, and Koga stood as Kaede married Miroku and Sango. Two weeks have passed since Naraku's death and everything was slowly moving forward. They still hadn't seen hide or hair of Kohaku, but they weren't giving up their search.

Once the ceremony was completed, everybody broke out the sake and several of the villagers pulled out instruments and began playing joyful tunes.

Kagome grabbed Koga's arm and hauled him under the shade of Goshinboku. She placed his hands on her hips while she wrapped hers around his neck. He glanced down at her with a curious look.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"You are going to dance with me!" Kagome grinned before going into the basics of a slow dance. She knew it wasn't how they did things in this time, but she wasn't going to be denied her first slow dance with Koga. Thankfully, he was quick to catch on. He didn't even step on her toes!

By the time the dance ended, Koga was staring down at Kagome's raven locks, wondering if she too would like to have a human mating ceremony. It had never occurred to him that humans participated in elaborate ceremonies when they chose their mate.

Koga pulled Kagome away form his chest and held her at arms length. The moment their eyes locked, he opened his mouth to speak. "Would something like this make you happy?"

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

He pointed to the dancing couples and the villagers playing music. "This ceremony Miroku and Sango had. We never did anything like this and apparently its important to you humans."

Her eyes lit up the moment the words left his mouth. With a squeal loud enough to cause Koga to cringe, she threw herself at him, almost knocking him to the ground. "You mean you would let me?"

Loosening her grip on his neck he gave her a nod. "Of course."

She plastered a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "Then you will need to buy me a ring!" When he looked confused, she explained further. "Since us humans lack the ability to sniff out other's mates, we place a ring on their finger to let others know they are off limits."

He nodded his head letting her know he understood what she was saying. He supposed it made sense that they would do something like that since their senses were extremely lacking. But, what happened if they took off that ring? Others would think them unmated and try to coerce them. That didn't sit well with Koga, but there really wasn't anything to worry about with Kagome. She would be spending most of her time in the company of youkai who would know and respect her as his mate. Any humans she may come in contact with, like the slayer and the monk already knew she was mated so no worries there.

Another song filled the air and Kagome caught Inuyasha approaching out of the corner of her eye. Koga tensed visibly out of habit, but quickly eased up. Inuyasha was mated to Ayame, so there was no way he would try and take Kagome away. Even a stupid mutt would know better than that.

"What brings you over here Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

The hanyou jerked his head to the side and shoved his hands into his haori with a snort. "Can a guy not walk around here without being asked a million questions?"

Raising a brow, Kagome shook her head. He wanted something, but she didn't know what. Tossing a glance up at Koga, she silently told him to give them some time alone.

With a nod, Koga stepped away, bumping shoulders with Inuyasha on purpose, reminding him of his place around Kagome. He would not tolerate him messing with her heart again.

Once Koga was out of ear shot, Kagome stepped closer to Inuyasha. "What's up?"

He pulled his hands out of his sleeves and dropped them to his sides. "Can we go somewhere a little more private?"

"Of course." She smiled up at him.

Inuyasha pulled Kagome up on his back and he darted towards the remains of the Bone-Eaters Well. He had been meaning to have a heart to heart with Kagome for awhile, but he could never gather the courage to do it. _Today is different_. He thought to himself as he flew through the trees.

He came to a halt next to the remains of the well, letting Kagome slide down his back. He knew bringing her here would cause her pain, but it was the only place he could think of to bring her. They shared several memories here, and it seemed best for what he was going to say.

He turned to face her, taking note of her now sullen attitude and the scent of tears. "Kagome…I…"

Wiping the offending tears from her eyes she met the amber gaze of her friend. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

He let out a rush of air as he crammed his hands into his sleeves. "I'm not good at this sort of stuff, but I need to say it." A shadow of a smile graced Kagome's mouth, giving hi the courage to get it off his chest. "I'm sorry."

The slight smile grew larger before she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. "I thought I'd never hear you say that!"

His hands wrapped around her waist as he took in her comforting scent. He would always be calmed by her scent, no matter what happened between them. Choosing Kikyo over Kagome had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life and he regretted everyday, that was until he realized that Kagome hadn't been the one for her. He still loved her and cared about her, but only as friends. Now that Kikyo was out of the picture for good, Inuyasha hoped he could patch things up with Kagome. He still wanted to be a part of her life even if it meant putting up with the scrawny wolf.

There was one more thing he wanted to tell her and he didn't want to clinging to him when he told her. Prying her from his person, he looked down into her doe eyes. His face flushed a bright red before flickering his gaze to the trees in the distance. "There is something else…"

Kagome raised a curious brow, wondering what it could be to put such an expression on her usually brash companion. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

"Keh…I guess there is no way around this…Ayame is pregnant…" Once the words rolled off his tongue, he turned around, leaving her to stare at the redness of his back.

Kagome's mouth dropped open, unsure of what to say. Instead she launched herself at Inuyasha, clamoring up his back, giving him a tight squeeze. "Oh my goodness! That's amazing! Who ever would have guessed you'd be the first to have babies!"She let out a high pitched squeal of happiness that almost had Inuyasha crying with a migraine.

"What the hell! Kagome, get off of me!" Inuyasha shouted as he tried to pry the little miko from his back only to have her latch on harder.

"What the hell is going on here?" A new voice entered the clearing, startling both Kagome and Inuyasha. Kagome's grasp loosened considerably, and she tumbled to the ground in an embarrassing heap.

Kagome's head jerked in the direction of the voice and giggled. Koga was standing between two trees with a confused look on his face. He had no idea what was going on, and was curious as to why his mate was clinging to Inuyasha like a monkey. He would have been quick to blame Inuyasha for doing something to her, but he was obviously trying to escape the miko.

Kagome jumped to her feet and squealed again, causing both Koga and Inuyasha to cringe. It was that sound that originally alerted Koga. At first he interpreted it as a scream of pain or fear, not realizing it was her happy scream. "Ayame's pregnant!"

Koga's eyes widened slightly at the news. He was rather impressed they managed to conceive so fast considering everything that was happening. He suppressed the urge to growl at the hanyou for starting a family before he could. Instead of the growl, a cocky grin appeared on his face. This would mean he would have to work double time to make sure to keep up with the half-breed. He wouldn't let the inu best him in anything.

"I guess I better get a move on then, Mutt-Face. Can't have you beating me!" Koga smirked.

Kagome froze in place, her mouth hanging wide open. _Did he just say what I think he said?_ She swallowed hard as her face turned bright red. _Oh my…_


	33. Chapter 33

(A/N: I'm so sorry for taking an extended vacation on this fan fiction, but I've been working on my own, original story that I hope to one day get published. If anybody knows a good place to post original works, and not fan fic, let me know! I could use some insight on my story, Inferno. Here, after almost a year, is the last and final chapter of Betrayal. I hope you forgive me!)

Kagome and Ayame sat around a small fire, sighing in unison. Koga and Inuyasha were in the tree line arguing over stupid things that neither woman cared about. It had been like this for the past three months. The girls shared a look and shook their heads. This is what they got for being pregnant at the same time. Kagome couldn't believe Koga's eagerness to start a family the second news about Ayame reached him. It was a miracle he let her sleep.

"Do you think they'll learn?" Ayame asked, rubbing the small baby bump.

Kagome laughed. "Nope. They are men, and youkai on top of it. That makes them twice as stubborn. Let's just hope they lay off after the babies are born."

"Yeah right. I'll be lucky to be able to leave to have a moment's peace." Ayame sighed before doing her best impression of Inuyasha. Kagome had to admit it was pretty good. "Damned woman, what do you think you're doing, leaving me with these brats?"

Kagome didn't miss the plural on brats. "You're having more than one?"

Ayame nodded. "Yeah, twins. I can hear two sets of heartbeats."

Kagome smiled. "Two mini Inuyasha's running around scares me."

"Who's to say they'll take after him?"

"True."

Kagome excused herself from the fire and walked over to the hot springs that was only ten minutes away. She stripped off her clothing and slipped into the hot water and allowed her head to relax on a warm rock. The events since Sango and Miroku's wedding played in her mind.

They found Kohaku only two weeks after the wedding. Much to Kagome's surprise, he was traveling with Sesshomaru. That didn't surprise Kagome nearly as much as the jewel being held in Sesshomaru's possession and not Kohaku's shoulder. As usual, the moment Inuyasha laid eyes on his elder brother, a fight ensued and Ayame and Kagome spent the next twenty minutes trying to calm Inuyasha down because Sesshomaru wiped the floor with him, using his new blade, Bakusaiga.

Rin and Kohaku explained that Sesshomaru removed the blade and revived Kohaku using the Tessaiga. Kagome cast the older brother an astonished look. She never pictured the demon lord as somebody to have that much compassion. She glanced over at young Rin and smiled. That little girl managed to melt some of the ice around his heart.

Kagome, after mustering all over her courage, approached Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru-sama, may I have the final shard of the Shikon no Tama?"

"Hn." He eyes her closely before the shard seemed to magically appear in his hand. He flicked it at her without so much as a word before turning and walking away.

The miko snatched the shard out of the air, purifying it the moment it came in contact with her skin. "Thank you." She called out to him, even though he was already out of hearing range. Rin and Kohaku chased after him, bidding Kagome and Sango a farewell.

That was the last time they saw the young boy. Sango was saddened by it, but she knew as long as Kohaku stayed with Sesshomaru, he'd be safe. Once the jewel was complete, Kagome made her wish, the only wish she could think of that was not selfish. She wished the jewel to diappear.

Time seemed to speed up after that. Only a week later Kagome realized her period was late. Koga confirmed her pregnancy not long after. He could smell the difference in her scent. The moment he knew, he made sure the entire wolf pack knew. At first, they treated her differently, like she was fragile and disabled. It didn't take long before she had an epic proportion blow up. She was so mad her pink miko powers made themselves visible in her aura as she told the women trying to rub her feet to get lost.

It took Sango dragging her to the hot tub by her arm to get her to mellow out. None of the wolves or Shippo could get anywhere near her without getting a nasty shock of purification powers. Kagome laughed as she thought about it. It was her first pregnancy blow up. Koga kissed her butt for weeks afterwards and Kagome lapped it up greedily. She no longer had people trying to wait on her hand and foot, but she told them she'll probably need them later in the pregnancy when she was the size of a house. They weren't sure how long she'd carry since a typical wolf gestation period is around 75 days. Humans stayed pregnant much longer.

Judging by the size of her stomach, she'd say she was already six months or so. Kagome lowered herself in the water so only her nose was above the surface. Thoughts of her mother lingered in the back of her mind. What would she say or do if she found out her daughter was pregnant? She was far too young for children in her time, but here in the Sengoku period, she was plenty old enough.

She finished her bath and walked back to the fire Where Ayame was still sitting. She had moved from the fallen log by the fire over to the ground with her back resting against the tree trunk. Her feet was stretched out before her and her and rested on her baby bump.

"Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you ready for babies?"

Kagome chuckled. "Nope, but I don't think anybody is ever ready for kids." She sat down on the log and ran her fingers through her wet hair.

"I'm scared." The ookami admitted.

"Oh, honey, you'd be crazy if you weren't." She slid over to her friend and patted her shoulder. "You'll be a great mother and Inuyasha will be great with them too."

Tears flowed down Ayame's cheeks. She wiped at them like they offended her. "I can't stand these crazy emotions."

"How do you think I feel?" Kagome rubbed her bump. "I'm carrying a hanyou, not easy work, let me tell you. At least your body is equipped to handle demon strength and energy, mine isn't. I'm so tired all the time and when the baby kicks, I swear he cracks a rib. I wouldn't be surprised when he gets bigger if he broke one." As if on cue, the baby kicked. She winced.

"Just be lucky, your miko powers aren't trying to purify it."

Kagome's eyes went wide and tears filled them. "You mean I could…" She covered her mouth with her hand and bit down to keep from gasping. The thought of her miko powers harming her child never occurred to her.

"Oh! Oh!" Ayame scurried to her knees and dropped her hands on Kagome's shoulder and squeezed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!"

She sniffled. "But you're right…I could hurt my own baby."

Ayame shook her head. "No, if your body was going to hurt the baby, it would have done it already." She moved her hands from her shoulders to her friends baby bump. "I can feel its power. Its aura has a blend of Koga's demonic energy and your purification. It's a perfect blend of miko and youkai."

Movement in the brush caught Ayame's attention and she looked over her shoulder. Koga and Inuyasha burst into the clearing. Koga noticed his mate's tears and rushed to her side to offer her comfort. She was so easy to set off these days he wasn't sure what to do with her. He could tell her good morning and she'd start crying. He made a silent vow to that as long as the pup born was male, he'd never impregnate her again. He wasn't sure he could handle five or six months of this.

oOo

Koga and Inuyasha paced nervously outside the mouth of the small cave. Both Ayame and Kagome were inside. Both were in labor. Kagome was early and that made Koga even more nervous. He wanted nothing more than to barge into that cave and be by her side, but the midwife told him the birthing room was no place for a man.

Both men cringed every time one of the girls screamed. If they didn't know any better, they'd bet their favorite body part somebody was killing them. After several long, painful hours, one of the healers came out to greet the nervous fathers. She walked over to Inuyasha.

"Ayame has birthed twin boys." She bowed deeply. "They are both healthy and surprisingly have no trace of human blood."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise them smiled his usual cocky grin. "Can I see them?"

She shook her head. "No yet I'm afraid. Kagome is still in labor."

Koga growled. "How is that possible? Ayame went in labor first and was giving birth to twins. How does that work?" He caught the scent of worry from the healer.

"I'm afraid Kagome is having a hard time, the baby is coming out breech." She replied, keeping her head down.

Koga snarled and snapped his teeth together. His eyes flashed red and he ran into the cave despite being told he couldn't. He was the leader of this tribe and by the gods they would not stop him from being at his mate's side through this.

"Koga…" Kagome muttered between screams.

Koga grabbed her hand and squeezed. Her heart rate was off and her breathing was labored. "I'm here." He glared over at the midwife. "Is there anything you can do?"

The woman shrank away from the crimson glare of her alpha. "If we don't get this baby out, they both will die. I can remove the child, but it requires cutting Kagome's womb open and pulling the child out. If I do that, the child will live and there is a chance Kagome will die. But if I leave them, you lose them both."

He growled again then looked down at Kagome. She was staring up at him with her sepia eyes. Koga cursed under his breath. It was tough decision, but he refused to lose them both. He looked up at the midwife. "Do it."

Three days later found Koga rocking a newborn female hanyou in his arms. Her hair was black and she stared up at him with bright blue eyes. Her ears were pointed like his and she sported a black, furry tail. She looked like her mother. She reached up and snagged his fingers and pulled his pointer finger into her mouth. Koga smiled.

"Hey! Quiet hogging her!" Kagome shouted from her fur bedding.

Koga looked over his shoulder over at his still healing mate. He stuck his tongue out at her. "You just lay there like a good little girl and heal. I'll take care of Miku."

Kagome raised a brow. "Oh really? Last time I checked you lacked the proper body parts to feed her. Unless you you've been hiding something from me."

Koga looked at her funny for a second until he figured out what she was talking about. "Oh!"

"Why else do you think she's sucking on your finger like that? She's hungry. Give her here." Kagome reached out with her arms and took Miku from her mate's arms when he brought her closer.

In the cave beside them, Inuyasha and Ayame were arguing amongst themselves about whose turn it was to change the babies' diaper. While they were doing that, Shippo hovered over both babies, keeping them from crying, using his kitsune magic to entertain them.

THE END!

(A/N: Ok, I know this is short epilogue and all that, but I wasn't sure what else I could do with it. I apologize once again for taking so long.)

~Kana~


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